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Recruiting Scotland's future managers
02/11/2009
Small businesses in Scotland will be able to access £2,000 to recruit a Management Apprentice, it was announced today.
The initiative - part of the Scottish Government's 'Invest in an Apprentice' scheme - is supported by the European Social Fund and is open to businesses who take on a new or existing member of staff as a Management Apprentice.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop said today's announcement means Scotland now has 'the most comprehensive package of support' in place for Modern Apprentices in the UK.
It follows a range of announcements in the past six months to support MAs in Scotland, including two alone in the past week:
- A £2000 incentive for small and medium size businesses in the manufacturing, textiles, food and drink and energy sectors to 'Invest in an Apprentice' by taking on a new apprentice
- A 'Safeguard an Apprentice' scheme, under which SMEs in the construction, engineering and manufacturing sectors are able to access £75 per week to retain an apprentice at risk of redundancy
Speaking at Grant Westfield Ltd in Edinburgh, Ms Hyslop said:
"Scotland now has the most comprehensive package of offers available for MAs in the UK. This latest financial incentive for management apprentices underlines our commitment to continue to rise to the challenges presented by the recession and ensure our people continue to develop the skills they need to contribute to Scotland's future recovery.
"This week alone I have already announced a £2000 incentive for small and medium size businesses in the manufacturing, textiles, food and drink and energy sectors to take on a new Apprentice and made £75 per week available for SMEs in the construction, engineering and manufacturing sectors to 'Safeguard an Apprentice' and retain those at risk of losing their jobs. These schemes build on the range of measures introduced in the last five months to support MAs from the 'Adopt and Apprentice' scheme to two for one incentives in specific sectors to the development an all-age apprenticeship for 100 Energy Advisers to name but a few.
"Invest in an Apprentice' for management apprentices is an innovative scheme which will support employment and create jobs. That's why I would encourage businesses to take advantage of this help available to grow their businesses and ensure that our young people are given the opportunity to become Scotland's managers of the future."
The first strand of Invest in an Apprentice was launched on October 29, 2009, when Ms Hyslop announced a £2000 incentive for SMEs in the manufacturing, textiles, food and drink and energy sectors to take on a new apprentice or upskill an existing member of staff. The £75 per week 'Safeguard an Apprentice' scheme is an incentive for businesses in the construction, engineering and manufacturing industries to retain 'at risk' Apprentices. Both schemes and today's further initiative are being supported by the European Social Fund (total support for these schemes is £1.03m of which 45 per cent comes from ESF, with the reminder from the Scottish Government). They are also part of ScotAction, the Scottish Government's integrated package of measures to help individuals and businesses through the recession.
This strand of the 'Invest in an Apprentice' scheme is open to small businesses with fewer than ten employees and can be accessed to take on a new or existing member of staff as a Management Apprentice.
Other announcements made through ScotAction to support the Apprenticeship Programme during the last six months as part of the £16 million to create an additional 7,800 Modern Apprentices, include:
- Making £6 million available to fund an additional 1,000 apprentices in Glasgow to support the Commonwealth Games legacy
- Funding for 50 apprentices in the creative sector
- Funding for 100 apprenticeships for Home Energy and Efficiency in partnership with Scottish and Southern Energy.
- Funding 2 for 1 Life Science Apprenticeships to help support this key sector
- Launch in June of the 'Adopt an Apprentice' scheme where employers can receive a helping hand of £2000 to employ a redundant apprentice
- Creation of an additional 170 early years modern apprenticeships
- Providing funding for 2000 MAs for the retail sector.
Grant Westfield Ltd is a company which has directly benefited from the support the Scottish Government has provided to businesses to recruit Modern Apprentices. The company has already recruited an apprentice through the 'Adopt an Apprentice' scheme.
Skills Development Scotland, Scotland's national skills agency, will play a leading role in taking forward the delivery of the initiatives that ScotAction will deliver for Scotland at this time.