The AGE 16 to 24 year olds is aimed at helping eligible employers to offer young people employment through the Apprenticeship programme, by providing wage grants to assist employers in recruiting their first apprentice.
The National Apprenticeship Service will provide up to 40,000 Apprenticeship grants to small medium sized employers recruiting 16 to 24 year olds with a value of £1,500 to encourage new employers to take on new apprentices.
The £1,500 is in addition to the training costs of the Apprenticeship framework which are met in full for young people aged 16 to 18 and 50% for those aged 19 to 24.
Priority will be given to small-medium sized employers with less than 250 employees and we expect to support at least 40,000 of these employers to recruit an apprentice for the first time.
Large employers (more than 250 employees) are not eligible for support through this initiative. But we do want to encourage take up within their small-medium enterprises (SME) supply chain.
It is expected that most employers will want to access AGE 16 to 24 to support the recruitment of one apprentice. However subject to budget availability and the employer’s commitment to support the apprentice to the end of their programme, up to 3 grants can be made to any one employer. However, the employer must commit to the total number of apprentices they wish to take on through the grant at the upfront agreement stage.
To check if you are eligible and to apply for AGE 16 to 24 you can:
- Complete the online web enquiry form
- Call the National Apprenticeship Service on 08000 150 600
- An adviser from the National Apprenticeship Service will contact you to discuss the support available in more detail
- Or contact your local Training Provider direct.
Further information View/download our fact sheet and presentation for further information on the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16 to 24 year olds.
