Scottish Government Announces £25m to Support Apprenticeships

Recognising the challenging circumstances for employers as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19), and the impact on opportunities for young people, more businesses will soon be able to access financial support to help them take on young people through the new £15 million Apprenticeship Employer Grant.

Supporting the Scottish Government’s aim of maximising apprenticeship opportunities in the coming months, the grant will help increase the number of employers able to take on an apprentice or upskill an existing staff member.

Grants of £5,000 will be available for employers taking on a 16 to 24-year old apprentice, and for those aged up to 29 years who are either disabled, care leavers or Black and Minority Ethnic (BME). Grants of £3,500 will be available for employers taking on an apprentice aged 25 or over.

Employers in Scotland taking on Modern or Graduate Apprentices, where the apprenticeship start date was on or after 1 December 2020, may apply. Funding will be available for starts until 25 March 2021 or until funding levels are exceeded, whichever comes first.

In addition to the above grant scheme, it has been announced that Scotland’s young people will have the chance to train and obtain qualifications through another new initiative launched in response to the pandemic.

Part of the £60 million Young Person’s Guarantee, Pathway Apprenticeships will provide a new route into the workplace. Created for school-leavers up to 18-years-old who might be facing fewer options due to the economic impact of COVID-19, around 1,200 opportunities will be available to young people in the first phase.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

‘It is essential that young people, who will make up our future workforce, have the opportunity through apprenticeships to build their confidence, gain industry insight and develop valuable skills that employers require.’

More information and application details for the Apprenticeship Employer Grant will be available from early January 2021.

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