SMEs
Opening the door to talent and loyalty: the power of apprenticeships
Looking to invest in your company’s future? Consider starting an apprenticeship scheme. Â
Not only is it a force for good for companies of any size, but it can also be a source of tremendous value for young people just starting out. Â
At OxLEP Skills, we support Oxfordshire businesses in creating a future-proof, highly skilled workforce through apprenticeships. Our services can help you develop apprenticeship programmes that will benefit your business and have a positive impact on the local community.Â
Apprenticeships can help to tackle skills shortages, improve productivity, and provide opportunities for young people to learn valuable skills and earn a wage at the same time.Â
If you’re interested in developing an apprenticeship program for your business, OxLEP Skills is here to help every step of the way. From finding the right training provider to accessing the apprenticeship levy transfer, we can help you create a successful programme that benefits both your business and the local community.Â
Case Study: Priory Cast Products
Priory Cast Products, an SME founded in 1988, creates high-quality metal castings and is owned and managed by Eliza Higginbottom and Yunus Ascott. The company boasts an impressive commitment to apprenticeships and education, helping to tackle the manufacturing skills shortage in Oxfordshire.
With a small, highly-skilled team, over a third of their members are apprentices. Dan, their first apprentice, started in 2020 as a Level 3 Foundry Technician and praised the effectiveness of “learning on the job.”
His success led to the hiring of a second apprentice, George, who also benefited from regular performance reviews to ensure qualification completion.
Apprenticeships can be especially helpful for those who are hands-on learners, as they improve skills retention and ultimately benefit businesses.
How OxLEP supported Priory Cast Products  
Priory Cast Products previously described apprenticeships as a bit of a ‘dark art’ so reached out to OxLEP for some support in developing its apprenticeship offering.
OxLEP’s Skills team worked with Eliza and Yunus to streamline their apprenticeship programme by putting them in contact with recommended training providers and a partner for the apprenticeship levy transfer to help with the delivery of training costs for the apprentice.
Evidencing their success, in 2022, Priory Cast Products was awarded the ‘Apprenticeship Employer of the Year (less than 250 employees)’ category at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards.
How we can help you
An apprenticeship scheme can be a fantastic way for businesses of any size to build a skilled, loyal workforce while contributing to the growth of their industry and the local economy.
At OxLEP Skills, we provide expert support to businesses at every stage of the process, from navigating funding to connecting with training providers.
Our team is here to help you make the most of the benefits apprenticeships can offer your business. Contact us today to start building a brighter future for your company and the community it serves.
Get in touch for free support
Our support for small and medium-sized businesses is fully funded and completely impartial, which means that we will only give you the help and advice that will benefit your company the most.
Unlock the Door to More
We are dedicated to supporting the government’s agenda to increase the number of apprenticeships and vocational pathways, particularly within small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs).
Discover the other apprenticeship opportunities available to large businesses and aspiring apprentices by unlocking the doors below.
Large businesses & levy payers
Starting an apprenticeship
Learn more about the work we are doing to support apprenticeships in Oxfordshire below.