Over £3.5m in levy pledges has been received through the initiative to date as part of the Social Contract Programme – a £1.7 million programme of activity funded by the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund, via Oxfordshire County Council and led by OxLEP Skills – to address the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic relating to unemployment, barriers to employment, education, and training.
The Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Skills Team (OxLEP Skills) has announced its successful ‘Grow Your Own’ Apprenticeship Levy Pledge initiative has reached a new milestone – totalling £3.5 million of funds transferred since the Programme’s launch in May 2022 which has been optimised to create 185 new apprenticeship starts across the county.
Having gained strong momentum after the launch of the initiative from levy pledging businesses, OxLEP Skills are now calling on the county’s SMEs, charities and social enterprises – with particular emphasis on a number of key sectors – to take up the funds and take on an apprentice, with the financial costs largely alleviated.
The latest levy pledge milestone means OxLEP Skills continues to far exceed an original £1.3 million target of pledges set for the Social Contract programme – with funding continuing to find its way to local businesses all the time.
The apprenticeship levy is paid by large employers with an annual pay bill of £3 million or more. Following a recent government announcement, companies can now choose to transfer up to 50% of their levy funds each year to help other businesses pay for their apprenticeship training and assessment – doubling the 25% transfer cap previous.
If levy funding is not utilised within those large companies, or pledged to smaller businesses, it is lost to Oxfordshire and returned to the Treasury. The ‘Grow Your Own’ initiative aims to keep Oxfordshire’s apprenticeship funds – and thus opportunities – in Oxfordshire.
Interested businesses can contact OxLEP Skills to express their interest and find out if they are eligible for funding, but particular sectors urged to apply for the funding as identified in the Oxfordshire Local Skills Improvement Plan include:
- Manufacturing (Science and Innovation)
- Digital (ICT)
- Green skills (Environmental)
- Charity
- Adult care
- Early years education
- Youth workers
- Hospitality and Visitor Economy
- Haulage and Logistics
- Construction and the built environment
- Health and Life Sciences
Businesses can utilise the funds to tailor specific apprenticeship opportunities as per their individual needs, and certain funds have been pledged to support the following specific apprenticeship standards:
- Level 4 Data Analyst Apprenticeship
- Level 5 Departmental/Operations Manager Apprenticeship
Businesses looking to take on apprentices within these roles are urged to get in touch with OxLEP Skills for more information.
Pledges taking the initiative to the £3.5 million-mark include leading facilities management company Mitie, who have pledged £100,000 to champion women in STEM apprenticeships. This investment is set to pave the way for countless opportunities and advancements in the field, making a tangible impact on the future of the Oxfordshire workforce.
Another business to pledge their unspent levy are financial advising specialists Legal & General, who have pledged £100,000, with £16,000 utilised already to support two Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprentices and one Early Years practitioner Level 2 Apprentice at Rosewood Nursery in Chipping Norton.
Kelly Gough, Manager at Rosewood Nursery, said: “We are a newly established nursery in Chipping Norton. As with many areas across the UK, childcare spots are in high demand and the Early Years sector is notoriously challenging for recruitment, especially since the pandemic hit.
“Despite this, today, we have grown into a team of nine exceptionally skilled childcare practitioners, including Kate and Michelle (two of our apprentices), and we now cater to 40 children. Our referrals for childcare spots continue to increase weekly and soon, we will be in a position to recruit more staff.
“However, this growth would not have been possible without Michelle and Kate. Their career advancement opportunities, dedication, and ability to learn quickly on the job have been crucial. Their progress has been instrumental in both their personal development and our nursery’s success.
“Financial support from Legal and General to cover their qualification costs has had a significant impact. Without such support, Kate might not have returned to Early Years, and Michelle would have struggled to afford the transition into this sector.
“The financial backing through the apprenticeship levy pledge scheme and support from sponsors are vital. Without this, the decline in childcare educators would likely continue, and more nurseries could face closure due to staffing shortages or insufficient qualified personnel.”
Sally Andreou, Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP, said: “We’re extremely proud to announce yet another apprenticeship levy-pledge milestone – completely smashing our original target – and showcasing yet again how the Social Contract programme and we at OxLEP Skills are supporting the provision of – and access to – skills within Oxfordshire.
“The interest we’ve had from businesses wishing to pledge their unused levy funds is testament to the calibre of organisations we have in Oxfordshire and their wish to further skills and retain talent in the area.
“It is now essential we match the funds pledged with SMEs looking to take on an apprentice without the initial financial ‘burden’, as it may be considered – so we are urging businesses in the county that can benefit from these funds to get in touch. If not – we will lose these outstanding funds back to the Treasury.
“Oxfordshire is renowned for its presence in a vast array of key sectors – and it is in many of these that a real opportunity to take on an apprentice, or use apprenticeships to upskill existing teams – exists.
“We continue to encourage small businesses in Oxfordshire – who have not yet taken advantage of the funds available through the apprenticeship levy transfer scheme – to get involved and unlock the door to a growing future workforce.”
Other areas in which the Social Contract seeks to address the impacts of areas such as barriers to employment, education and training as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, include through the ‘No Limits’ programme – funding 5 triage workers at SOFEA’s food larders across Oxfordshire – aiding customers with any skills and employability support they might require. The programme also offers IT equipment, as well as training and travel bursaries to support access to employment or training.
Find out if your business could be eligible to take up the levy funding, pledge your own levy, or find out more about the other initiatives within the Social Contract by getting in touch with OxLEP Skills’ Oxfordshire Apprenticeship Advisers today: skills@oxfordshirelep.com.