Aviva will pledge £100k to the new Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service launched by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub.
The money will help fully fund training costs for four apprentices as they start their training as Level 3 Early Years Educators and Level 5 Early Years Practitioners from early nest year.
The Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service is a new scheme in the region which provides smaller businesses with access to additional apprenticeship funding.
As part of this, larger employers pledge funding to support other businesses who would benefit from apprenticeships through unspent Apprenticeship Levy funds.
Smaller businesses can then apply for this money and if successful will no longer pay the 5% costs towards the training of apprentices.
Khalil Kirkwood, Senior Development Manager at SYMCA, said: “Large employers, who are currently paying the Apprenticeship Levy, can pledge their unspent allocation into a pot that smaller businesses can then apply for.
“Smaller businesses, if successful with their application, will have the opportunity to upskill their workforce or expand their team through the apprenticeship funding that has been pledged by larger companies.
“Being able to offer this innovative approach to address collective skills shortages in South Yorkshire is just one of the strategies we are looking at to improve the lives of our residents.”
The Apprentice Levy Matchmaking Service was launched alongside the new South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub on 5 December, with the ambition to bring 300 new high-quality apprenticeships to the region by June 2025.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy. But if we’re going to get there, and if everyone is going to be able to access the jobs and opportunities that the new economy will bring, we need to make sure people have the right educational skills, so they can access opportunity wherever it might be.
“That’s what our new Apprenticeship Hub is all about; offering people, organisations and businesses a ‘one-stop shop’ for all the information and support they need to get the right skills, in the right place, so we can all benefit from more jobs.”
Danny Harmer, Aviva’s Chief People Officer, said: “Apprenticeships create meaningful opportunities for people to develop their careers, at any stage and age. Giving some of our Apprenticeship Levy means Aviva can support businesses in South Yorkshire to create the skills they need for the future – which can only be good news for our communities.”
