Skills Minister Robert Halfon has confirmed the next stage of details regarding the apprenticeship levy will be announced this Friday 12th August; a delay of two months from when they were originally due to be published.
After the launch of the apprenticeship levy, different standards of apprenticeship will be banded, with the government setting a maximum limit on how much can be spent on training for each standard. Mr Halfon and the Department for Education (DFe) have confirmed that this will be one area announced this Friday. Also expected are details on how apprenticeships will be funded for non-levy paying employers, as well as the provisional level of extra payment employers can receive for hiring a 16-18 year old apprentice, and the provisional amount that will be paid to employers for delivering Maths and English training to those who need it.
These details were expected in June, but following the referendum result this led to a government shake up which saw Theresa May become Prime Minister, Justine Greening become Secretary of State for Education and Mr Halfon become Skills Minster. Under this new regime the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), who at the time announced there would be a “short delay” in confirmation of details, was merged with the DfE, who are now responsible for the implementation of the levy.
The apprenticeship levy has seen controversy in recent weeks as a number of businesses and membership organisations have called for a delay in its launch to enable government to properly consider the implications for employers and to work closer with them to ensure the best results for all employers and learners.
Mr Halfon’s other responsibilities as Skills Minister have been clarified. In addition to his duties for the apprenticeships and the introduction of the levy, he will also manage careers education and guidance in schools, funding for post-16 provision and further education colleges, sixth-form colleges and local patterns of provision.
It’s important that businesses and providers don’t lose the purpose of the apprenticeship levy, which is to encourage more employers to recruit apprentices to close the current skills gap in many industries, as well as reap the other multitude of benefits that come to their business and the wider economy.
Here at Aspire Training Team we work closely with employers across the South to find them apprentices who can build their business through childcare apprenticeships, business administration apprenticeships and health & social care apprenticeships, as well as Team Leading and Management qualifications. To find out more about hiring an apprentice, or to ask your questions about how the apprenticeship levy will impact your business, you can contact Aspire Training Team on 01202 551553 or email info@aspiretrainingteam.co.uk.
