OxLEP Skills’ Apprenticeship Levy Pledge Initiative sees apprenticeship levy-paying organisations (those with an annual pay bill of £3m+) with unused levy funds, able to transfer these to other organisations within the county for their own apprenticeship needs – rather than losing them back to the Treasury.
As part of OxLEP Skills’ Social Contract Programme – funded by the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund via Oxfordshire County Council and led by OxLEP Skills – a team of Oxfordshire Skills and Employability Advisors are in place to offer support and guidance to the county’s businesses looking for apprenticeship support.
This pre-funded (at no cost to the employer) support includes helping employers to unlock their apprenticeship levy and enabling smaller organisations to access unused levy to start or develop their apprenticeship schemes. It also includes support for employers and training providers along the apprenticeship journey, with a strong focus on the timely completion of the apprenticeship.
One business that has pledged their apprenticeship levy to support smaller organisations in Oxfordshire is Serco, a multinational defence, health, space, justice, migration, customer services, transport and community services company.
As well as making a difference by offering apprenticeships themselves, Serco are also making a real impact by donating to SMEs, charities and other organisations to fund apprenticeships, through their levy gifting. The partnerships they form with organisations like OxLEP Skills Hub – which help them do this – are really key.
Leah Bryan, Skills and Employability Advisor, OxLEP said: “I reached out to see if Serco would be willing to support Oxfordshire through their apprenticeship levy gifting – and they were more than happy to get involved!
“This support is invaluable, removing financial barriers and allowing SMEs to invest in apprenticeships that strengthen their workforce.
“Serco has already made a huge impact gifting £79,000 to Oxfordshire businesses, which we have already been able to utilise to fund 7 apprenticeships, primarily in the health sector – and they have also expressed interest in supporting the engineering sector moving forward.
“OxLEP Skills are excited to continue this partnership, matching SMEs and charities with Serco’s generous levy pledges to help businesses upskill their teams and bring in fresh talent.”
Helen & Douglas House Children’s Hospice is one of the organisations to benefit.
Christina Murphy-Wakelin, Learning and Development Lead said: “Securing the levy pledge is incredibly generous and enables us as a charity to use funds to provide services for the children and families we care for, whilst still developing staff and enabling them to progress.”
Another business that has benefitted is Walfinch, an organisation that provides bespoke, high-quality care at home to individuals and families. Kam Gill, Managing Director of Walfinch Oxfordshire, said: “As a homecare business, I am incredibly grateful to Serco for their generous pledge of unused apprenticeship levy funding to support my Senior Leadership Apprenticeship. This initiative not only helps me invest in the growth and development of my leadership journey but also strengthens my ability to compete and thrive in an ever-evolving marketplace. I truly appreciate Serco’s commitment to supporting my businesses, empowering me to develop the skills I need for my future success. It’s a fantastic example of how collaboration can make a real impact!”
Shaun Stacey, Chief People and Culture Officer at Serco UK and Europe, said: “Serco’s donation of unspent levy funds to SMEs across England demonstrates our dedication to supporting training and employment to impact a better future.
“Apprenticeships offer a great start for many people to learn new skills and develop their careers. As a large employer, we take our social value commitments seriously and recognise that levy gifting is a great way of developing talent in key sectors. Without our pledge, these SMEs might not otherwise be able to afford to fund these opportunities.”
Find out more about apprenticeships at Serco: www.serco.com/uk/careers/apprenticeships