‘Plan for Jobs’ skills and employment programmes: information for employers

This information is to help employers understand the programmes available so they can decide which would be best suited to their business.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are jobs which combine practical on-the-job skills training with sustained off-the-job learning, available from entry level to master’s degree-equivalent. Your employee will get training in the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are relevant to their job and you will need to pay them a salary.

Apprentices spend 80% of their time in the workplace and at least 20% undertaking off-the-job training in a setting that suits the needs of your business – this could be a college, a training provider or at an Institute of Technology (IoT). Training can also be delivered in your place of business.

Potential benefits to your business

many apprentices stay with their employer when they finish their apprenticeship. This can make a sustainable investment in the skills to support your business as the economy recovers
improve your productivity; apprentices are motivated to learn new skills
a productive and effective way to grow talent
capitalise on new ideas and a fresh perspective

Financial incentives available

as originally announced in the Budget 2021, and updated as part of a Plan for Jobs expansion, businesses will be able to apply for a new payment of £3,000 for each apprentice they take on as a new employee between 1 April 2021 and 31 January 2022.
you can decide how to spend the incentive to best support the needs of the business and the apprentice. It is in addition to the payments already made to support specific groups of apprentices such 16 to 18-year-olds, those with disabilities, or young people leaving care. You must have an apprenticeship service account if you want to apply for an incentive payment.
an exciting talent planning route for your business could see an apprentice joining your organisation for a Kickstart placement then progressing onto an apprenticeship with you. You would have access to the full range of financial support the government provides for apprenticeships.

Employer costs

Apprentice National Minimum Wage – at least £4.15 per hour, though many employers choose to pay more than this in recognition of the value apprentices bring to their organisation.
you may have to contribute 5% of the apprentice’s training and assessment costs – depending on the size of your business and the age of your apprentice. Your training provider will be able to advise you on this.

Further information

Find out more about how apprenticeships can benefit your business.

Industry placements: T Levels

T Levels are a new, 2-year qualification for 16 to 19 year olds. Designed with employers, each T Level is equivalent to 3 A levels and helps young people develop the knowledge, attitude and practical skills to thrive in the workplace.

At the heart of each course is a 45-day industry placement, that will give you early access to the brightest talent entering your market.

Potential benefits to your business

industry placements are an ideal solution for entry-level skills
you can avoid many of the costs associated with recruitment by working with local colleges and schools to connect with young people who are deciding on their careers
placements give you a chance to work alongside the next generation of workers entering your industry, making sure they develop the knowledge, attitude, and practical skills to succeed
capitalise on new ideas and a fresh perspective

Financial incentives available

Employers can claim a £1,000 cash boost for every T Level student they host on a high-quality industry placement from now, until July 2022.

More information on how to apply for the incentive is available on GOV.UK.

Employer costs

No cost (it is optional whether the employer chooses to pay the young person a wage and/or payment for expenses such as travel and subsistence).

Further information

Find out more about how T Levels can benefit your business.

Kickstart Scheme

The Kickstart Scheme offers six-month work placements, in new jobs created using grant funding from the scheme, for 16 to 24 year olds who are currently out of work claiming Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment. 100% of their time is spent in the workplace with in-work training to help develop transferable skills aimed at increasing their chances of sustained employment.

Potential benefits to your business

you can support young people to gain valuable experience and improve their chances of finding work
help a generation of young people affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19
benefit from new ideas, and help your teams gain supervisory experience
you can see whether a young person is a good fit for an apprenticeship or a job in your business after their job placement

Financial incentives available

100% of wages are subsidised at National Minimum Wage (or National Living Wage depending on the age of the young person) for up to 25 hours with employer National Insurance and automatic enrolment contributions also fully funded.

Funding of £1,500 is also provided to cover the costs of employability training and on the job start-up costs – these can include but not limited to uniform, safety equipment, IT equipment and other practical materials.

Employer costs

No costs

Further information

Find out more about how the Kickstart Scheme can benefit your business.

National Careers Service

Potential benefits to your business

futureproof your business for the future labour market
help to develop your current workforce and supplement with talented individuals who have the skills you need
increase your resilience and productivity
take part in national virtual jobs fairs

Employer cost

The National Careers Service is free to use.

Further information.

Find out more about the National Careers Service and how to contact us.

Sector-based work academy programme (SWAP)

SWAP can be tailored to meet your recruitment needs, including pre-employment training, a work experience placement, and your guarantee of a job interview for participants. They run for up to 6 weeks, with a work experience placement usually at your business and with pre-employment training off site or online.

Potential benefits to your business

you can recruit staff with the right training and skills from the outset, developed through fully funded pre-employment training
reduces the risks within the overall process of recruiting new employees
an opportunity to work with like-minded businesses together to contribute to wider priorities around diversity and inclusion, or social mobility, in your organisation
work experience placements allow developmental opportunities for existing employees, for example by working on their mentoring, supervisory and coaching skills

Financial incentives available

Government-funded tailored support to meet your recruitment needs.

Employer costs

There is no direct cost, SWAP placements are entirely government-funded.

Further information

Find out more about how SWAP could benefit your business.

Traineeships

A traineeship is a skills development programme that includes a work placement. The full programme can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, though most traineeships last for less than 6 months.

Your business needs to be able to offer at least 70 hours of a safe, meaningful, and high-quality work experience.

The trainee will gain English, maths, digital and work-related qualifications which can lead them on to an apprenticeship, work, further education or a Kickstart placement.

Potential benefits to your business

allows you to design a programme that suits both the needs of your business and the needs of the trainee
can help you develop a loyal and talented workforce
allows you to help support young people into meaningful work
increase your capacity and productivity

Financial incentives

£1,000 per young person placement (up to 10 incentive payments per employer, per region) for employers offering traineeship work placements between 1 September 2020 and 31 July 2022.
As announced in the Budget 2021, there will be an additional £126 million to fund 40,000 more traineeships for 16 to 24 year olds in England, in the 2021 to 2022 academic year.

Employer cost

No cost (it is optional whether you choose to pay the young person a wage and/or payment for expenses such as travel and subsistence).

Further information

Find out more about how traineeships can benefit your business.

Free qualifications for adults

As part of the government’s commitment to supporting people to gain skills for life, any adult aged 19 and over, who does not have a level 3 qualification (equivalent to an advanced technical certificate or diploma, or A levels) or higher, now has the opportunity to access a fully funded course. In addition, from April 2022, any adult in England earning under the National Living Wage, will also be able to access these qualifications for free, regardless of their prior qualification level.

Learners may be able to get help to pay for childcare, travel and other costs.

In keeping with the government’s commitment to put employers at the heart of the further education system, the offer is focused on sector subject areas that are linked to labour market need.

The course list has been carefully selected with input from industry and a number of sector representative bodies, as well as the FE sector. The list includes courses that can apply to and support different local labour markets, and a range of qualifications that are valuable across the economy in multiple sectors, for example, digital skills, accountancy and business skills.

We are keeping the list of qualifications and the sector subject areas in scope under review to ensure this offer adapts to the changing needs of the economy.

Potential benefits to your business

help you develop a loyal and talented workforce with the skills you need (94% of employees would stay at their company longer if it invested in their career – LinkedIn Workplace Learning report 2019)
futureproof your business in a rapidly changing labour market
improve your productivity; learners are motivated to learn new skills, provide new ideas and a fresh perspective
support your staff to upskill or reskill into a higher level role in your business, without funding the training yourself.

Financial incentives available

you can avoid many of the costs associated with training by working with local colleges and training providers to find flexible courses that meet the training needs of your employees.
employees may need to meet admissions criteria for some of the qualifications available and may need to have studied a particular subject before at a lower level.

Employer costs

the courses are fully-funded for eligible adults. Employees may need time to study and attend classes depending on their working hours and status and the flexibility of the course.

Further information

Find out more about free qualifications for adults.

More information for employers and other stakeholders, including who can add qualifications to the list of level 3 courses being funded as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee, can be found on the National Skills Fund page.

Skills Bootcamps

Skills Bootcamps have the potential to transform the skills landscape for adults (aged 19 and over) and employers. They provide valuable medium-higher level skills based on local employer demand and offer a guaranteed job interview on completion.

In keeping with the government’s commitment to put employers at the heart of the further education system, Skills Bootcamps will support immediate labour market needs by helping employers to fill much-needed vacancies. This includes an investment of up to £17m to provide training for up to 5,000 new and existing HGV drivers.

Skills Bootcamps are available in regions across the country and include a range of digital courses such as coding, technical training in skills like construction or logistics, and green skills like solar energy.

A list of Skills Bootcamps is available on GOV.UK. This list will continue to grow as more Skills Bootcamps become available. We anticipate training 16,000 individuals in 2021 to 2022 financial year.

Potential benefits to your business

help you develop a loyal and talented workforce with the skills you need
futureproof your business in a rapidly changing labour market
improve your productivity; learners are motivated to learn new skills, provide new ideas and a fresh perspective
help you recruit staff with the right training and skills from the outset

Ofsted’s role in Skills Bootcamps

Quality assurance is critical to ensure that Skills Bootcamps meet the needs of learners, employers and the economy. Across the 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023 financial years, Ofsted inspectors will visit a sample of Skills Bootcamps providers to carry out a review of provision, applying the education inspection framework methodology to identify strengths and areas for improvement. This will provide an independent overview of the quality of training delivered through the Skills Bootcamps.

The role of Ofsted will continue alongside any expansion of the Skills Bootcamps programme in future years.

More information is available on the Ofsted website.

Financial incentives available

for employers wanting to train their own employees through Skills Bootcamps, the government will fund 70% of the cost
for learners taking a Skills Bootcamp independently, Skills Bootcamps are free as the government will fund 100% of the course cost

Further information

More information for employers and learners on the current and upcoming Skills Bootcamps is available.