You can get help from the government to pay for apprenticeship training. The amount you get depends on whether you pay the apprenticeship levy or not. You pay the levy if you’re an employer with a pay bill over £3 million each year. Visit the Government website to find out about funding an apprentice.

The City & Guilds Apprenticeship Support Hub offers guidance and resources for training providers and colleges delivering apprenticeships.

The Cumbria Business Growth Hub & Rural Growth Network provides useful information about apprenticeships, including a guide to apprenticeships and how to find an apprentice.

The Cumbria LEP has compiled a Cumbria Apprenticeship Strategy, which you can read and download here.

Furness College provides information about the Apprenticeship Wage and Levy. Like all employees, apprentices must still receive a wage. There is a National Minimum Wage for apprentices. However, as skills develop, many employers tend to increase wages.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, known as IfATE, works with employers to shape skills training in England, for the future of the workforce. IfATE was created in 2017 as an arm’s length body of the Department for Education (DfE).

Hire an apprentice. Apprenticeships are an exciting option for both the apprentice and employer, and you can choose to hire someone new or upskill an existing employee using the scheme.

Develop your apprentices. We all have ‘to do’ lists. Your apprentices are no exception. To pass their apprenticeship, there's a lot they need to do. It’s probably your job to get them through it, to help them learn new skills, pass their assessments and prove they’re an asset to your business.

Skillshub Cumbria can work with you to upskill or retrain current staff, or to make an impact in the community in which you operate by engaging with potential learners.