Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of apprentices aged 16 and 17

The National Apprenticeship Service is providing 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 new 16 and 17 year old apprentices immediately. The £2,500 grant is in addition to the cost of training which is met by the National Apprenticeship Service.

The aim is to support employers to offer new and additional Apprenticeship job opportunities for young people. The scheme will be targeting employers, particularly small and medium sized employers, who would not otherwise be in a position to recruit an apprentice at this point in time as well as those employers who are able to offer more Apprenticeship places than they would otherwise have done.

Larger employers can also be supported, where they can demonstrate that they are overtraining to support smaller employers in their supply chain or the wider sector or where they can demonstrate additionallity.

The grant is available now. It is a short-term, time-limited, measure and is available immediately for employers who are able to offer a job opportunity to an unemployed young person who will need to have been recruited and in work before the end of March 2010.

To apply for AGE 16 and 17, employers should call the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600 or visit http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/