JTL wants to make sure that employers don’t pass up the opportunity to hire apprentices due to Covid-19, and instead is encouraging them to take advantage of available Government grants.
In a new campaign, dubbed ‘keep the skills alive and lights shining, the national training provider for electrical, heating and plumbing apprenticeships is encouraging employers to utilise the cash incentive being offered by the government and take on an apprentice before January 31, 2021.
The Government is currently offering employers £2,000 if they hire an apprentice between the age of 16-24, while those hiring apprentices above the age of 25 will receive £1,500. The scheme is in place to ensure that the younger generation aren’t adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
There is no limit on the number of incentive payments that an employer can claim for, as long as each apprentice meets the eligibility criteria. The apprentice must be a new employee to the business, have a contract of employment start date between August 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021 (inclusive), and must not have been employed by the employer within the six months prior to the contract start date. Plus, this incentive can be used in addition to the existing £1,000 government grant available if you take on an apprentice aged 16-18.
Cathie Foster, head of marketing and communications at JTL, said, “The messaging of our ‘Keep the skills alive and the lights shining’ campaign comes at a crucial time, whereby we want to encourage employers to build a brighter future for their business by taking advantage of this funding. With January just around the corner, now is the last opportunity for employers to access the government funding and take on apprentices to further support their individual business, as well as helping the wider Covid-19 economic recovery plan.
“As part of JTL’s support offering and to ensure the pipeline of skilled tradespeople continues, we are on-hand to speak to employers who are keen to invest in the training and development of an apprentice, and to help employers make the most of the government financial assistance available to them”.
Employers will need to set up an account on The Apprenticeship Service portal in order to access the funding, which JTL is offering assistance with.