Humber Local Enterprise Partnership has created and rolled-out a new Employers’ Apprenticeship Toolkit to help small and medium sized businesses in the area get to grips with the issues surrounding taking on and developing apprentices.

The toolkit supports businesses in navigating apprenticeship policy reforms and funding, including the apprenticeship levy. It also signposts towards local and national resources and demonstrates how apprenticeship training can help businesses of any size and sector to fill their skills gaps and meet their growth aspirations.

The toolkit was commissioned by Humber LEP and York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP and developed by the Strategic Development Network (SDN) to provide businesses with insight and tools to help them understand where apprenticeship training could have a real impact on their business performance. The project builds on SDN’s industry-renowned Future Apprenticeship toolkit, created in 2015, to provide a detailed roadmap for training organisations to best adapt to the apprenticeship reforms.

Amanda Scrimgeour, Employment and Skills Manager, Humber LEP explains:

“Many businesses in the Humber region are interested in apprenticeship training, but receive mixed messages about its cost, impact and rules around 20% off-the-job training. This impartial and practical Employer Toolkit answers those questions, setting out clear guidance, actions, examples and tools.

“The feedback we’ve received so far has been excellent! SMEs in particular, who do not have the human resource of larger companies to investigate apprenticeships as thoroughly, are finding the toolkit to be a real help in navigating the world of apprenticeships and the opportunities they present.

“Ultimately, the guide provides a key tool in helping improve the quantity and quality of apprenticeship opportunities in Humber LEP region and we’re really impressed with the final product.”

How does the Employers’ Apprenticeship Toolkit work?

The guide is split into two broad sections:

1. A quick overview for employers that just want to understand the basics, get going and trust in their chosen training provider to implement a successful programme.
2. A detailed breakdown of apprenticeships, with tools including: cost-benefit analysis, questions to ask training providers, preparing for end-point assessment and much more. This part of the guide is for employers to dip in and out of as they move through the apprenticeship journey.

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For more information contact Richard Royal on r.royal@humberlep.org or 01482 485256 or Amanda Scrimgeour on 01482 485254 or a.scrimgeour@humberlep.org

To view the Employers’ Apprenticeship Toolkit, visit Humber LEP’s skills resources page: http://www.humberlep.org/skills/skills-resources/