Employers

Apprenticeship Support

Through our Social Contract Programme, we provide expert, impartial advice to help employers unlock and access the apprenticeship levy. To date, we have made over ÂŁ3.6M in apprenticeship levy funds available for Oxfordshire.

The apprenticeship levy applies to organisations with an annual PAYE bill of more than ÂŁ3 million. The apprenticeship levy can be used to upskill your existing staff and recruit and train your future workforce. Employers that do not utilise all their levy are able to pledge 50% of their annual fund to support smaller businesses, social enterprises and charities with apprenticeship training and assessment costs.

Our Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisers Leah Bryan and Nikki Cooper provide expert, impartial advice to help employers with all aspects of apprenticeships. There is no charge for this support as it is funded through our Social Contract Programme through the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund, via Oxfordshire County Council.

Contact Leah and Nikki at skills@oxfordshirelep.com or phone 0345 2411 196, option 1.

Leah Bryan

Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisor

Photo of Nikki Cooper Apprenticeship Advisor

Nikki Cooper

Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisor

How we support apprenticeship levy-paying employers

If you’re an apprenticeship levy-paying employer, join other Oxfordshire businesses supporting a county-wide apprenticeship pledge fund. Our Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisors will work with you to make it as easy as possible. We support with:

 

  • Guidance with understanding your 50% transfer allowance
  • Support to pledge and upload onto the national apprenticeship levy pledging page
  • Support to make a direct transfer pledge
  • Support to set criteria for where your money is spent i.e. Oxfordshire
    Support to review and agree applications
  • Any apprenticeship guidance that you require for your own organisation
  • Promotion of pledge to use towards your corporate social responsibility goals

How we support employers that do not pay the apprenticeship levy

Employers that do not pay the apprenticeship levy can benefit from 100% of apprenticeship training costs covered for employees aged 22+ and no 5% co-investment fee.

Our Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisors provide 1:1 support with every aspect of tapping into the apprenticeship levy pot:

 

  • Help to identify opportunities for an apprentice​
  • Guidance to find the correct apprenticeship standard​
  • Signposting to training providers​
  • Funding and levy transfer advice and guidance​
  • Creation of Digital Apprenticeship Service account​
  • Recruitment advice and support​
  • Ongoing support through the apprentice’s journey​

 

 Employers who have pledged apprenticeship levy

We would like to thank these fantastic organisations who have supported apprenticeship training and assessment in Oxfordshire by pledging apprenticeship levy. Could your organisation join them?

Apprenticeship Levy pledge totaliser July 2024
Navenio

“Utilising the OxLEP Skills apprenticeship levy transfer scheme has been ideal for us – a process with which OxLEP Skills’ advisors have provided invaluable support.”

Rebecca Kyte
HR Manager, Navenio

Oxford North site visit

“Any businesses that are thinking about pledging apprenticeship levy, speak to OxLEP Skills and you’ll be surprised how easy it is.”

Siân Rebourg
Head of Social Value, Hill

Edgars team

“OxLEP Skills successfully facilitated the apprenticeship levy transfer for us through the Social Contract Programme and helped guide us through this process.”

Jayne Norris
Co-Director, Edgars Ltd

Download a flyer

You can download a flyer about our apprenticeship levy support to share with colleagues or other employers.