Richmondshire area apprentice funding

• anyone over the age of 16
• graduates and non-graduates
• new or existing staff
• individuals who have the right to work in the UK

Apprentices can carry out a number of roles within a business such as an accountant, architect, digital marketer, food technologist, project manager, senior leader, solicitor, veterinary nurse, and many more.

• you must take on an apprentice for a minimum of 12 months. An apprenticeship can take between one and four years to complete depending on the level and type, and ability of the apprentice 
• work in partnership with a government approved training partner 
• pay towards some of the training costs (pay 10% of the training costs if you have an annual payroll of under £3 million and are non-levy payer, or pay 90% of the training if you are a large business with an annual payroll of over £3 million and pay into an Apprenticeship Levy) 
• pay wages to your apprentice 
• assign a mentor or line manager to support their learning 

There are a number of financial incentives for businesses to take on an apprentice including: 

• employer National Insurance contributions are not required for apprentices under 25 - for further details visit the HMRC website
• £1,000 to support 16 to 18 year olds, 18 to 24 year old care leavers or those with a disability  
• free English and maths training for those that need it  
• industry training at a fraction of the cost  
• no training fees for eligible apprentices if you employ less than 50 people 
• local authority funding schemes 

1. recognise skills gaps within your business 
2. get advice through local training providers, local authorities, the national apprenticeship process 
3. identify specific apprenticeships needed within your business 
4. work out what an apprenticeship will cost and see if you can get financial help 
5. speak to your preferred training provider 
6. recruit and select your apprentice 
7. agree and commit to your new apprentice 

• the grant supports small businesses employing less than 50 people, with priority given to those employing less than 20 employees 
• the business must have a trading address in the Richmondshire area, and have an annual turnover under £50 million 
• the business must have been trading for at least three months 
• the new apprentice must live within the Richmondshire area  

The following websites provide useful guidance:

• National Apprenticeship Service
• government website
• York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub