What is the Salford Skills for Business Apprenticeship Fund?
The Salford Skills Business Apprenticeship Fund is believed to be the first Public/Private/Third Sector partnership of its kind which gifts on a city-wide basis. This trailblazing Fund is investing in apprenticeship training within SMEs to help create more quality and sustainable apprenticeship roles for Salford residents. The fund also helps existing employers close skill gaps in key sectors such as health and social care, education, digital, manufacturing and constructions, hospitality, business and professional services.
The fund has invested nearly half-a-million pounds thanks to its partners dock10, Salford City Council, Apprenticeships at Salford City College, Bupa, Kingsland Drinks, Salford CCG, Salix Homes, Seddon, University of Salford, Sodexo, Morson Group and Compass Apprenticeships.
The new fund comes after the council’s Workforce Panel unanimously approved an Apprenticeship Strategy in January to boost talent in its organisation and in the city. This forms part of the council’s wider commitment to developing employment and skills for residents, as well as raising employment standards – the principles of which are outlined in the City Mayor’s charter.
The main aim of the fund?
The aim of the fund is to attract, develop and retain the best possible talent in the city by creating opportunities for people of all ages, to undertake relevant qualifications, helping to raise skills, capabilities and aspirations.
If you want to apply for funding to cover the cost of provision of apprenticeship training for your existing workforce you need to meet the following criteria:
- The organisation must have less than 250 employees
- The organisation must have a Salford business address
- The salary must be the national living wage rate (for 23 and over)*
*Employer must pay at least the ‘National Living Wage for 23 years of age +’ to all its employees regardless of age (from April 2021 this is £8.91 per hour) or be working towards paying their employees the Foundation Living Wage.
