Two of Oxfordshire’s most enterprising charities, SOFEA Didcot and Aspire Oxfordshire, have joined forces to launch the new ‘No Limits’ Programme to support the ambitious new OxLEP Skills Social Contract Programme.

Commencing this month, the £400,000 ‘No Limits’ Programme will enable SOFEA and Aspire to introduce a comprehensive programme of support over the next 15 months to help address the legacy impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from community settings across Oxfordshire, the support will be person-centred and focused on supporting people who have been at risk of being held back by the detrimental effects of the pandemic and who are now at risk of being affected by the cost of living crisis.

The type of support will range from providing access to digital devices and digital skills development, to intensive employment development support, through to travel bursaries. The interventions will be closely tied-in with food larder provision across the county and will follow a delivery mapping exercise, including how to widen access to employment opportunities in key sectors with local employers.

The ‘No Limits’ Programme is an integral part of OxLEP Skills wider Social Contract Programme, a £1.7m suite of targeted interventions benefiting Oxfordshire businesses and communities, ranging from an Apprenticeship Grant Scheme through to a virtual mentoring platform.

Sally Andreou – Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP – said: “OxLEP Skills is delighted to be able to bring the ‘No Limits’ Programme to life through our new Social Contract Programme. We are excited to be partnering with SOFEA and Aspire on this project, which aims to help local people gain skills and access resources that can support them into employment.”

Richard Kennell – CEO at SOFEA – said: “SOFEA are delighted to be leading the ‘No Limits’ Programme, in partnership with Aspire. We are looking forward to bringing together our expertise to support people across Oxfordshire, particularly in these difficult times. The project will enable us to work alongside people and provide them with the support in getting (back) into work.” 

Paul Roberts – CEO of Aspire – said: “The ‘No Limits’ Programme is a very timely, important opportunity to bring additional support and opportunity into communities so that the people who need us the most can get support when it matters. We’re very pleased to be a part of this new partnership effort.”

The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Skills team (OxLEP Skills) has today (Thursday 13 October) announced that over £163k has been pledged in Levy transfers since the launch of its new ‘Social Contract’ programme – launched at the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards in May – with organisations such as JDE Banbury and the University of Oxford pledging their unused funds to support the retention of skills within the county.

The Social Contract is a new £1.7m programme of activity that aims to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and wellbeing for individuals, local communites and businesses. The programme aims to support those experiencing unemployment and barriers to employment, education and training, and provide support to Oxfordshire’s key business sectors, experiencing skills and labour shortages.

Through the new programme, OxLEP Skills are working to support Apprenticeship Levy-paying businesses in Oxfordshire to ‘Grow Your Own’ talent within the county and unlock their 25% unused Levy funds, with a series of expert ‘Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisors’ on hand to offer support and free impartial advice.

Launched back in May, a core ambition of the Social Contract programme is to ensure that Apprenticeship Levy funds in Oxfordshire remain in the county, by supporting Levy-paying businesses to pledge their unused funds to smaller businesses who could be looking to take on their first apprentice or grow their apprenticeship scheme.

JDE Banbury, who produce household coffee favourites Kenco, L’OR and Tassimo are leading the way as trailblazers across the programme, having pledged over £50,000 in unspent Apprenticeship Levy funds to support local organisations. Nearby to their Banbury coffee factory this pledge will support apprenticeship training for key roles including – on this occasion – the NHS and primary education.

So far, JDE Banbury pledged funds are earmarked to support apprenticeship training for a Sports Coach Apprentice at a local primary school and an Apprentice Healthcare Assistant at a GP surgery in Kidlington. Any funds remaining will be advertised on the government’s Apprenticeship Levy pledge website, where organisations can apply for a share.

Another trailblazer in the programme – the University of Oxford have also pledged their unused Levy funds to support skills within the county – which have since been utilised to create the Local Enterprise Partnership’s very own communications apprenticeship role, supporting a former ‘Kickstart’ employee to take the next step in their career.

Other local pledges are also being used to support a further Healthcare Assistant in another local surgery.

As part of the Social Contract programme, OxLEP Skills and OxLEP Business have also teamed up to deliver the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Grant Scheme, with support in the range of £1,000 to £1,500 – in certain circumstances also up to £3,000 – which businesses can apply for on behalf of an apprentice who is experiencing barriers to either starting or completing their apprenticeship. Funding for example, can be used on travel costs and Ofsted-registered childcare.

The Social Contract programme also aims to remove barriers to employment for individuals who may be considered furthest from employment, as well as supporting young people who have experienced education disturbance or unemployment as a result of the pandemic, and those over the age of 50 in Oxfordshire who may be affected by labour market challenges. A core ambition of the programme is also to improve social mobility for minority ethnic communities in Oxfordshire.

Join OxLEP Skills’ mission to ‘Grow Your Own’ talent here in Oxfordshire, while benefiting from free and impartial support and advice for your organisation through our Social Contract Programme.

Sally Andreou – Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP – said: “Our new Social Contract Programme aims to support the retention of talent within Oxfordshire, helping businesses and individuals to remove barriers to employment here in the county.

“We’ve seen first-hand the benefits of the programme and are delighted at the amount of Levy funds that have already been pledged as a result of the Social Contract – however there are still around 220 businesses in Oxfordshire that pay the Apprenticeship Levy, who might not be currently utilising it. Underused Levy funds are returned to the Treasury if not used within two years and may then be of no benefit to Oxfordshire’s communities and economy.  Businesses can pledge 25% of their unused Levy to other businesses.

“We want to keep Levy funds in Oxfordshire, so we can grow vital skills, create apprenticeships for local people, so they can earn while they learn and help businesses develop their talent pipeline. To make the whole process as easy and as simple as possible for a business to transfer their Levy, we have two ‘Apprenticeship Advisors’ who can offer their time totally free of charge.

“Retaining Levy funds locally will support vital skills growth across Oxfordshire and help employers develop talent pipelines and retain key skills within the county, utilising funds that would otherwise be returned to the Treasury.”

“We would urge all businesses who want to make a difference and to support smaller business and jobseekers looking for an apprenticeship through the Social Contract programme to get in touch.”

Rob Williams, Plant Director, Banbury UK, Jacobs Douwe Egberts – said: “We’re delighted to be able to provide some of our unspent Apprenticeship Levy to support local organisations in Oxfordshire. We’re incredibly proud of our apprenticeship programme at the Banbury coffee factory and look forward to hearing how other businesses will be able to reap the benefits of developing their talent pipeline.” 

Helen Johnson – Senior Appointments and Apprenticeships Manager at the University of Oxford – said: “We are delighted to be supporting OxLEP in their new Social Contract Programme and are equally supportive of keeping talent in Oxfordshire and upskilling talent.

“At the University we are committed to transferring the full 25% of levy annually to support other organisations to allow them to recruit new talent through apprenticeships or upskill their existing staff.

“As the Chair of the Thames Valley Apprenticeship Network I hope the other LEPs will looking into creating a similar programme to wider the retention of talent. This is a really exciting project, and we look forward to seeing how things progress.”

As part of a new £1.7 million Social Contract Programme, OxLEP Skills is developing its ambitious Community Employment Plan (CEP) programme, which supports local authorities, planning teams and developers to bring new employment and training opportunities for Oxfordshire residents through local construction and development.

OxLEP Skills held its first CEP workshop in September to seek input from economic development teams, developers, consultants and local planning teams, identify support that could be developed during the duration of the programme and showcase benefits from developments where CEPs are currently being delivered.

The event took place at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, where attendees heard from a variety of presenters including Dawn Crawford, Construction & Environment Manager at Harwell, Karen Tolley, Economic Development Lead for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils and Jen Healy, CSR Consultant and Employability Facilitator at Jen Healy Innovations, consultant for St Modwen, the strategic developer at the Kingsgrove site in Wantage.

Jen said: “We were delighted to attend the CEP workshop to represent St Modwen, to share the successes and to discuss how we have overcome barriers in evolving the Kingsgrove CEP to suit all stakeholders involved within it, whilst exceeding expectations within the agreed targets. It was hugely beneficial to bring all voices together and hear from our equivalent representatives on other CEPs and Council delegates, as by sharing information we learnt a great amount also.”

OxLEP has championed the use of CEPs in development since 2013 and published its first CEP Evidence Paper in 2017 which was endorsed by the Oxfordshire Growth Board, now known as the Future Oxfordshire Partnership. The invaluable perspectives from across public and private spheres shared during the workshop will now be used to refresh the Evidence Paper.

Community Employment Plans can be a planning requirement either through planning conditions or Section 106 obligations. The support provided by OxLEP Skills to authorities and developers intends to maximise the skills and training outcomes from these plans. Over the next 5 years within Oxfordshire, Community Employment Plans aspire to deliver 143 Apprenticeships, 138 work placements, 95 sector-based work academy placements and over 50 career-focussed events for local communities.

Jen added: “CEPs present the opportunity for all contributors to champion and progress their own responsible business ambitions whilst motivating future stakeholders joining the CEPs to instil and achieve their own. We are all working towards the same goal, to reduce the skills gap and inspire the next generation of construction professionals to join this progressive, exciting, diverse, career-filled industry.”

Dinny Shaw, Strategic Land Head of Planning at St. Modwen, said: “For the developer, the CEP is a fantastic opportunity to engage in a positive way with the community in which you are working and to see benefits being delivered to the wider community. It is also a chance to demonstrate the positive aspects of development to a new audience.”

Cat Armstrong, Community Employment Plan Advisor at OxLEP Skills, organised and delivered the workshop. Cat said: “Community Employment Plans assist developers, contractors and major employers in Oxfordshire to support the future talent pipeline that is critical for their business needs. Working with local schools, colleges and adult-training providers to support learning experiences, businesses can attract the next generation to their industry and explain the skills, qualifications and learning which are crucial for industry growth. This workshop was the beginning for the Community Employment Plan programme and we aim to hold future events that support developers and consultants delivering Community Employment Plans within Oxfordshire.”

Pictured (left to right) are: Jen Gant, Project Manager and Jen Healy, CSR Consultant and Employability Facilitator at Jen Healy Innovations; Dawn Crawford, Construction & Environment Manager at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus; Cat Armstrong, Community Employment Plan Advisor at OxLEP Skills; Richard Byard, Director of Business Development at OxLEP and Karen Tolley, Economic Development Lead for South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils. 

If you would like more information about Community Employment Plans in Oxfordshire, please contact Cat at skills@oxfordshirelep.com

OxLEP has revealed its latest grant scheme set to benefit businesses with a drive to harness apprenticeship opportunities for Oxfordshire residents.

The OxLEP Business and OxLEP Skills teams have joined forces and last Wednesday (10 August), announced its new Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Grant Scheme, a product of OxLEP Skills’ Social Contract programme – itself a £1.7million project supported through funding secured by OxLEP via the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund.

The new scheme, which will see grants from £1,000 to £1,500 made available to eligible businesses, has been launched to help remove potential barriers experienced by apprentices to either start or complete their respective qualification.

Businesses looking to access the scheme can apply on behalf of their Oxfordshire-based apprentice.

The new scheme was launched at last week’s special webinar hosted by OxLEP Business and OxLEP Skills and was attended by several dozen Oxfordshire-based businesses.

WATCH AGAIN: Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Grant Scheme launch webinar (10 August)

Grants are set to be awarded to companies on a first-come, first-served basis with some grants – up to £3,000 – also available to organisations under certain circumstances.

Grants can be used to remove a number of different barriers which an apprentice maybe experiencing, such as travel and childcare costs.

Away from the grant scheme, the Social Contract programme is set to have a significant effect on Oxfordshire’s skills landscape and follows in the footsteps of OxLEP Skills’ historic commitment to supporting the county’s businesses to develop their own talent pipeline.

Social Contract activity includes OxLEP Skills working with eligible companies to unlock their respective Apprenticeship Levy, helping to retain Levy spend within Oxfordshire and providing access to the programme’s apprenticeship advisors who can offer free support and guidance.

OxLEP continues to encourage businesses from all sectors in Oxfordshire – and those employing residents based within the county – to find out more about the scheme.

Nigel Tipple – Chief Executive of OxLEP – said: “Following-on from our announcement earlier this summer regarding our Visitor Economy Grant Scheme, we are delighted to bring a further funding opportunity to our business community via the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Grant Scheme.

“Over many years, through initiatives like the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards, we have championed the value and impact of apprenticeship schemes, highlighting how important they are to businesses in the county, Oxfordshire’s labour market, plus what it leads to in creating fantastic career opportunities.

“We are therefore delighted to bring this new grant scheme to market supporting those organisations with apprenticeship ambitions.

“If you are an Oxfordshire-based business with a desire to deliver apprenticeship openings – or support an Oxfordshire-based apprentice – we would encourage you to find out more about our new scheme.”

Applications to the grant scheme has now opened to eligible businesses, with an deadline set for 30 September.

Away from the new apprenticeship scheme, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, OxLEP has introduced a number of effective programmes and funds, created to provide much-needed support and financial backing to the Oxfordshire business community.

Schemes have included the recently-announced Visitor Economy Grant Scheme, as well as the £2.1million Business Investment Fund and the Cherwell Business Adaptation Fund.

 The seventh annual Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards will once again shine a spotlight on our county’s apprentices – and the businesses and organisations, training providers and schools that support their journey – recognising the huge contribution they make to our county’s economy at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 18 May 2023 at Williams F1 Conference Centre. 

We’re delighted to introduce Jacobs Douwe Egberts UK & Ireland / JDE Banbury as this year’s headline sponsor. JDE UK & Ireland is a subsidiary of JDE Peet’s, the world’s leading pure-play coffee and tea company, serving approximately 4,500 cups of coffee or tea per second. JDE UK & Ireland employs approximately 650 employees across three sites in Banbury, Hurley and Dublin. Read more about our journey towards a coffee and tea for every cup at www.JDEPeets.com.

JDE has been proudly manufacturing coffee in Banbury for over 55 years, producing household favourites such as L’OR, Kenco, Tassimo and Douwe Egberts. Passionate about advancing early careers, our apprenticeship programme began in 1983 and we have over 50 former apprentices across the business up to the manufacturing leadership team level. JDE associates are proud to support local charities such as Katharine House Hospice and Banbury Foodbank. If you want to find out more, please visit https://www.jacobsdouweegberts.com.

JDE Banbury are leading the way as trailblazers across OxLEP Skills’ ambitious Social Contract programme, having pledged over £50,000 in unspent apprenticeship levy funds to support local organisations. Nearby to their Banbury coffee factory this pledge will support apprenticeship training for key roles including – on this occasion – the NHS and primary education.

JDE Banbury were highly commended in the Apprenticeship Employer of the Year Award (250+ employees) in the Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Awards 2022. Their apprentices were successful too, with Lauren Hansen being highly commended in the Advanced Apprentice of the Year Award and Ryan Taylor winning the Shining Star Award, which is for former apprentices who have achieved great things in their career.

About the Awards

The awards will be open for entries and nominations until midnight on the evening of Friday 17 February 2023. Finalists will be announced during Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (hashtag #OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 13:00 on Thursday 20 April 2023. Winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Thursday 18 May 2023. 

If you would like the opportunity to support the awards, please get in touch.

Join us for Oxfordshire Apprenticeships Hour (#OAHour) on Twitter @OxonApprentice from 1pm every Thursday for latest on the Awards and join in the conversation using the hashtag #OAAwards2022.