JOBS CREATION & APPRENTICESHIPS

KICKSTART SCHEME

The government has launched the Kickstart scheme to help employers to create new, fully subsidised jobs for young people. Additionally, employers can help get young people and adults affected by redundancy back into work offering apprenticeships and Kickstart scheme.

The new £2 billion Kickstart Scheme will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people across the country.

The 6-month placements are open to those aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. They will be available across a range of different sectors in England, Scotland, and Wales. The first placements are likely to be available from November.

There will also be extra funding to support young people to build their experience and help them move into sustained employment after they have completed their Kickstart funded job.

Employers will receive funding for 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum auto-enrolment pension contributions.

REGISTER INTEREST

Employers seeking 30+ job placements > Find Out More

Employers seeking 29 or fewer job placements > Find Out More

Kickstart Gateway organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire:

• Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Group
• Coventry City Council
• Federation of Small Businesses working with Adecco Working Ventures
• PET-Xi Training Ltd
• Further gateway organisations are listed here

APPRENTICESHIPS

There are an abundance of inspiring apprenticeship and training schemes across the Coventry and Warwickshire area. Young people can take advantage of pioneering collaborations including the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre, MIRA Technology Institute and the Jaguar Land Rover partnership with Warwickshire College’s Apprenticeship Centre

Apprentices are aged 16 or over and combine working with studying to gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a chosen career. Apprentices can be new or current employees and businesses may be eligible for a grant or funding to employ an apprentice. Apprentices must be paid at least the minimum wage during their placement, which can last from 1 to 4 years, depending upon the level apprenticeship standard that the apprentice is studying for, and must:

• Work with experienced staff
• Learn job-specific skills
• Study for at least 20% of their working hours - usually at a college, university or training provider

In July 2020, the Chancellor announced that from August 2020 to January 2021, any employer who hires a new apprentice, aged between 16-24, will receive a payment of £2,000. In addition, employers looking to hire new apprentices aged 25 and over will receive £1,500. This payment will be in addition to the existing £1,000 incentive payment that the government already provides for new apprentices aged between 16-18, and those aged under 25 with an Education Health Care Plan, where that applies. This can result in an employer potentially receiving up to £3,000 for hiring an apprentice aged between 16-18, during this six-month incentive scheme.

To register your interest in employing an apprentice, visit the National Apprenticeship Service

APPRENTICESHIPS LEVY FUND TRANSFER

Coventry City Council will transfer its available apprenticeship levy fund to support small to medium sized non-levy-paying businesses. The funds are to support eligible employers outside of the city who employ Coventry residents.

The levy fund can be used to train new recruits or existing staff members and the City Council is keen to support as many businesses and residents of Coventry as possible.

To find out more, contact Anne-Marie Tranter, Skills & Growth Manager, Economic Development Services. T: 07973 260583 E: anne-marie.tranter@coventry.gov.uk

Warwickshire County Council - The Apprenticeship Levy Small Business Support Programme is an initiative which launched in 2019 to support small businesses in the recruiting and funding of apprenticeship training across Warwickshire.

The programme allows Warwickshire County Council to share part of its apprenticeship levy funds to invest in businesses and residents who would benefit from such support.

TRS

TRS is an independent employer led programme, originally initiated by former Secretary of State (BEIS), which is dedicated to supporting the attraction, development and retention of people and skills in UK construction, manufacturing, engineering and technology

FIND AN APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDER

There are a variety of organisations that can provide apprenticeships. We have listed a few below, but please visit the National Apprenticeship Service to find more.

ARE YOU AN EMPLOYER LOOKING TO RECRUIT?

FinditinCW is a dedicated platform for Coventry and Warwickshire SMEs to access supply chain opportunities and connect with buyers and suppliers. Registration is free, with the option to upgrade to access additional features and services.

FinditinCW delivers targeted leads and supply chain opportunities to businesses in both the private and public sector in Coventry and Warwickshire, which are promoted through opportunities posted on the website and at ‘Meet the Buyer’ events – both physical and virtual. Additionally, FinditinCW provides local businesses with a free business listing, B2B marketplace for promoting offers, events and news.

As part of the free registration you can ‘Post a Job’ which automatically links to Employment Solutions and advertises your vacancy.

How to post your recruitment opportunities

1. Go to www.FinditinCW.co.uk and click on ‘Sign Up’ or click here
2. Follow the simple steps to register your business.
3. Wait to receive an activation email.
4. Click on the link in the email to validate your account and log in using the username (email address) and password that you registered with.
5. To ‘Post a Job’, look at the tabs at the top of the homepage and simply click on ‘Employment Solutions’.
6. Alternatively, you can go directly to your ‘Dashboard’ and choose ‘Jobs’ from the options on the left-hand side and ‘Post a Job’.

Other Support Available

Coventry City Council - Employment Hub

Based at the flagship Coventry Job Shop, Coventry City Council's Employer Hub provides a free bespoke recruitment, training and wellbeing service.

The Employer Hub can support employer’s recruitment by:

• Supporting with job description and advertising creation.
• Multi-platform advertising of vacancies.
• Sourcing suitable candidates against the job description, making use of the Coventry City Council Job Shops pool of over 25,000 registered customers.
• Pre-screening to ensure candidate suitability.
• Carrying out all required pre-screening activities such as any tests, pre-interview activities and telephone interviews.
• Sourcing suitable pre-employment training to meet employer needs.
• Arranging final interviews as required.
• Supporting with work trials, work experience and general employment opportunities.

In addition to recruitment activities the Employer Hub can support employers to increase their productivity through evaluating their employee wellbeing, with support to sign up to the West Midlands Combined Authority Thrive at Work Charter.