A COUNCIL has invested almost £175,000 in businesses, schools and charities to boost apprenticeships.

Brighton and Hove City Council is allocating the funding to help increase take-up of apprenticeships in the city.

The funding is through the council’s apprenticeship levy transfer scheme.

It is available to support eligible employers to take on new apprentices and develop existing employees.

Employers can put in bids for the money and the council’s apprenticeships team will allocate the money based on the bids received.

Search and social marketing agency Seed hired two digital marketing apprentices through the council’s levy transfer scheme.

CEO Nick Stuart-Miller said: “Because digital moves so quickly, we find that graduates often haven’t kept up to date with industry changes.

"So, there is no better way to learn than by working within the industry.

“It’s really rewarding to train someone and watch them develop from having very limited knowledge into a seriously valued member of your team.”

One apprentice, identified only as Tia, has just finished working with volunteering app onHand.

She said: “It has given me not just qualifications and work experience but also a clearer vision of my future career prospects.

“It was such a fab feeling to see results and achievements that I had contributed to in real time.

"I loved the analytical and creative elements, and the people I worked with were fantastic.

“I now have a multitude of transferable skills and am in a position to consider lots of different career paths.”

Eligible employers will be a non-levy payer based in Brighton and Hove and fall into one of the following categories:

  • Businesses and other organisations
  • The voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector
  • Schools in the city that do not pay into the council’s apprenticeship levy.

Employers who apply for apprenticeship funding will be expected to actively support the aims of Brighton and Hove’s city employment and skills recovery plan or show how the levy funding will support redundant apprentices or progression from Kickstart placements; their business’ recovery from Covid or the city’s aim to be Carbon Neutral by 2030.

To find out more email apprenticeships@brighton-hove.gov.uk or visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/jobs/apprenticeships-and-pre-employment/apply-apprenticeship-levy-funding.