£60,000 fund to help Mansfield and Ashfield firms recruit apprentices

The Ashfield and Mansfield Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) will be available from 1 April 2014 and will offer businesses taking on a new apprentice up to £1,500 on top of the current National Apprenticeship Service’s (NAS) £1,500 AGE.

The grant will support employers who would not otherwise be in a position to recruit an apprentice, which will help boost the local economy and reduce youth unemployment.

To be eligible for the grant, businesses need to qualify for the NAS AGE, be located within the Ashfield or Mansfield District and employ less than 250 staff. The apprenticeship has to be a newly created position and the company must not have recruited an apprentice in the previous 12 months. The apprentice taken on has to be aged between 19 and 24 and live in one of the Districts.

Employers can claim the Ashfield and Mansfield AGE for up to two apprentices and the grant will be paid in stages throughout the apprenticeship programme.

Mansfield District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration, Councillor Kate Allsop said: “Helping businesses grow and creating a climate for job creation is a key priority for Mansfield District Council.

“The grants on offer are an excellent incentive for businesses to take on an apprentice, which will help boost productivity and performance and provide more opportunities for young people to enter the world of work.”

Leader of Ashfield District Council, Councillor Chris Baron said: “Getting people back to work - particularly youngsters - is very crucial to the local economy. Ashfield District Council recognises that we must give future generations opportunities to be properly trained and qualified for the world of work.

“The grants scheme launched today will lead to accredited qualifications on completion, giving a solid base for the area’s future workforce.”

To find out more about the Ashfield and Mansfield AGE, contact Ashfield and Mansfield District Councils’ Regeneration Shared Services on 01623 463 165 or [email protected].