College solves small business apprenticeship problem

South Essex College is introducing an important levy pledge in 2020 to strengthen the local economy and help small businesses plug their skills gaps by hiring apprentices.

The college intends to work with as many Levy paying businesses as possible, to release the unspent capital in their accounts and pledge it to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) so they can utilise the funding to employ an apprentice.

In 2020, the college aims to facilitate 100 SME apprentice places from Levy sharing customers by creating ‘twinned’ employers and sharing opportunities wherever possible.

Calley Page, Employer Engagement Manager at the college, said: “Whilst the political backdrop is a little uneasy at the moment, Essex remains buoyant and the development planned for our county is very exciting.

“Here at the college our conversations with employers and developers have proved that the biggest and most common challenge we face are skills shortages. We are working hard with industry to find solutions.”

Employer engagement is a key priority for the college including working with stakeholders to improve the economic prosperity of the South East and developing sustainable partnerships with employers to inform, support and develop the curriculum offer.
 
Is your business interested in this campaign? The college can help fund the majority of your skills gaps and work with you to develop your business. Please contact Calley.Page@southessex.ac.uk for more information.