The University of Leeds has revealed a new levy transfer project that aims to donate £1 million to eligible small employers to fully fund apprenticeship training and boost skills development.
To date, the University has pledged £287,000 of the £1 million to support small and medium sized enterprises in the Leeds city region who do not pay the Apprenticeship Levy to upskill their workforce.
The University of Leeds has offered apprenticeship programmes since 2018, across a range of different sectors and to apprentices from all walks of life. The new levy transfer project aims to support potential apprentices who don’t currently hold a Higher Education qualification or equivalent.
The programme particularly welcomes individuals from low-income households, or those who are mature, disabled, care leavers, or from areas that do not have high levels of the community participating in higher education along with those from disadvantaged ethnic minority backgrounds.
In addition, applications are encouraged from organisations where apprenticeship programmes will enhance the career prospects of staff through professional registration or Chartered Status.
The funding is targeted at those key sectors identified in the West Yorkshire Local Skills Improvement Plan. These are health and social care, engineering and advanced manufacturing, financial and professional services, low carbon industries, creative industries, digital and technology industries, the education sector, construction, transport and logistics.
Dominic Millington, Head of Apprenticeships (Delivery and Compliance) at the University of Leeds, said: “We want to give as much support as possible to both organisations and the individuals who participate in our apprenticeships. Our aim is to widen participation in higher education, boost skills in a cost-effective way for employers across the district and support growth and productivity within the West Yorkshire region.”
