16 and 17 year old cycle apprenticeships attract a tasty bonus

A cash incentive to take on a young apprenticeship?
Too good to be true?

Well, it’s a fact and you should consider taking advantage of it before it’s gone. You could have a Cytech qualified young apprentice with £2500 to help cover your costs plus a funded apprenticeship to boot.

The National Apprenticeship Service will provide up to 5,000 Apprenticeship Grants for Employers of 16 and 17 year olds (AGE 16 and 17) with a value of £2,500 to encourage employers to take on unemployed 16-17 year olds as apprentices.

Last year, despite tough labour market conditions, over 70,000 16 and 17 year olds started an Apprenticeship. Despite this there are still many more young people who want to learn whilst they are in work and we are determined to make sure that the opportunities are there for them to do so.

NAS are introducing a new Apprenticeship Grant: AGE 16 and 17, of £2,500 to enable employers to offer 5,000 new Apprenticeship places and take on an unemployed 16 or 17 year old apprentice immediately. The £2,500 grant is in addition to the costs of training which is met by the National Apprenticeship Service through ATG Training.

Which employers can benefit from AGE 16 and 17?

The aim is to support employers to offer new and additional places in support of young people. Therefore NAS are targeting those employers who would not otherwise have been in a position to recruit an apprentice at this point in time or who are able to offer more Apprenticeship places than they would otherwise have done. They particularly want to support small and medium sized employers who are interested in employing an apprentice for this first time, or who want to employ an additional apprentice over their traditional level of recruitment.

When will AGE 16 and 17 be available?

The grant will be available immediately. This initiative is a short-term (available until the end of March 2010) measure and is available now for employers who are able to offer a job opportunity to an unemployed young person aged 16 or 17.

Employers will receive a quick response, from ATG Training, on whether the Apprenticeship Grant is available.

How will employers receive the grant?

The payments will be administered by the National Apprenticeship Service through ATG Training who will manage the payments and paperwork. Employers will receive the grant in two payments - £1,500 when the young person starts their Apprenticeship and a further £1,000 after 12 weeks.

Employers will be asked to sign an agreement which commits them to employing a new or additional apprentice in paid employment for the duration of the Apprenticeship training programme. Employers will pay the apprentice at least the minimum Apprenticeship wage of £95 per week, including off the job training. If the apprentice leaves early, the employer will be asked to repay a proportion of the grant.

Which young people are eligible?

All 16 and 17 year olds who are not in employment and not already on an Apprenticeship programme are eligible. This includes those who may have had a place in a college or school but have subsequently dropped out. The young person will need to have been recruited and in work before the end of March 2010.

16 and 17 year olds not in full-time education have seen the largest absolute fall in their employment rate since the start of the recession but we know through Connexions that a significant proportion of their 16 and 17 year old customers are interested in looking for work. This scheme will give these enthusiastic young people the opportunity to work for successful companies like yours.

We can also advertise your vacancy on Apprenticeship vacancies – the online service that matches candidates interested in an Apprenticeship with employers offering them.

To apply for AGE 16 and 17 is simple and straightforward.
If you would like to express your interest in receiving support through AGE 16 and 17 please contact ATG Training as soon as possible on 01296 737815 or email cycles@atg-training.co.uk