On hand to help with apprenticeships

Building Our Skills (BOS) has partnered with Glass & Fenestration Training Solutions (GFTS) which now forms part of BOS’s national network of practical training centres and is one of its academy sites.

Samantha Tinker, GFTS’s director of business and quality, said: “For many employers, taking on apprentices is their only way of bringing new blood into the industry.

“The Education & Skills Funding Agency subsidises training costs for apprenticeships through training providers such as GFTS by up to 100% of the cost for 16-18yr olds and 95% for 19+ age group candidates.

“There are two routes to payment,” she explained. “Companies with a wage bill in excess of £3m pay into the Apprenticeship Levy to cover the costs of training their apprentices, while smaller employers, not paying the Levy, pay a maximum of 5% contribution, and the rest is covered by the government.

“In some instances, and depending on eligibility, there may also be grants available to employers who take on apprentices in the 16-18yr old age bracket. Many small companies are not aware of this financial support, and they might like to talk to us about it,” she continued.

“We also provide support in many other ways to employers who are new to taking apprentices on in their business. For example, we arrange for our employer engagement officer to work with employers directly and make sure everything runs smoothly as we guide companies through the various procedures, helping to gain access to funding.

“We find that many businesses are unaware of the government assistance they can call on, the funding they can secure, along with support and options there may be for their existing staff too,” concluded Samanthan. “It’s our role to help them navigate the various processes easily.

More information on Building Our Skills – Making Fenestration, Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice – is available at www.buildingourskills.co.uk. Find out more about GFTS at https://www.gftsltd.co.uk/