Government plans to create up to 20,000 more apprenticeships with funding support for small businesses have been welcomed by the Advantage Travel Partnership.
The £60 million commitment for next year made by prime minister Rishi Sunak includes a series of reforms including fully funding training for young people and cutting red tape for small businesses.
The package of measures covers fully funding apprenticeships in small businesses from April 1 by paying the full cost of training for anyone up to the age of 21.
The aim is to remove the need for small employers to meet some of the cost of training and saves time and costs for providers like further education colleges who currently need to source funding separately from the government and businesses.
The amount of funding that employers who are paying the apprenticeship levy can pass onto other businesses will also be raised from next month.
Apprenticeships can currently be funded by a levy-paying employer transferring up to 25% of their unused levy to a different employer.
Sunak made the pledge in his first economic speech since the spring Budget on Monday, saying: “Taken together, these measures will unlock a tidal wave of opportunity and make a real difference to businesses and entrepreneurs across the country.”
Education secretary Gillian Keegan added: “This government has built a world-leading apprenticeship system from the ground-up – with apprenticeships now available in around 70 per cent of all occupations.
“Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for businesses to develop the skills they need, and these new measures will help more businesses and young people benefit from them.”
Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said: “The prime minister’s pledge to create 20,000 more apprenticeships in the UK is a very welcome announcement.
“In 2023 Advantage committed to investing in new talent by setting the ambitious target last August of 50 new apprentices taking place across our members in the next 12 months.
“We are pleased to announce that we have already hit that target. We see apprenticeships as playing an incredibly important role across the UK outbound travel industry.
“They are a great way to ensure we get new diverse recruits attracting and inspiring new talent at a grass roots level.
“The government’s promise of a series of reforms that include fully funding training for young people and cutting red tape for small businesses will be really beneficial and we’re looking forward to seeing the impact they have.”