Bath College advising businesses on changes to apprenticeships

Advisers at Bath College are stepping in to help employers get to grips with the government’s new apprenticeship levy.

All employers with a payroll in excess of £3 million will be asked to contribute to the apprenticeship levy from April 2017.

As a result, Bath College’s apprenticeship team is visiting companies across the West of England to offer information and advice.

Engineering employers are invited to an event at the college’s Somer Valley Campus to kick-start the apprenticeship roadshow.

The event, led by Barney Willis, Head of Department for Services to Business, will include a presentation on the changes to apprenticeships.

Any businesses interested in speaking to Bath College about changes to apprenticeships are encouraged to get in touch.

Mr Willis said: “This is a huge change for apprenticeships. The government is not only changing the funding but also the qualifications.

“Businesses will need updating as time goes on, because at the moment the government hasn’t released all the information.

“There’s funding changes for small businesses, as well as large employers, and government-funded organisations will have to have 2.3 per cent of their workforces as apprentices.

“We can provide this information, through a five to ten minute presentation, so that employers can make informed choices.”

Bath College is the largest provider of apprenticeships in Bath and works with a wide range of businesses across the West of England.

On April 28^th, the college hosted a cultural and creative apprenticeships event to look at how creative businesses can take on an apprentice.

Mr Willis said: “We’re constantly exploring new opportunities. We go out and look at the company’s vision for their apprentices and organise a framework to deliver this.

“As part of the changes, there’s going to be a digital apprenticeship service, a website which allows employers to upload their own vacancies and manage their apprenticeship recruitment. 

“We can give employers assistance with this. We’re flexible to requirements and passionate about what we do.”

Bath College is holding an event for engineering employers at its Somer Valley Campus on Wednesday May 18^th from 12.30pm to 2pm.

Please e-mail [email protected] to find out about the event or to invite the Bath College apprenticeship team to visit your business.