The Council have invested the funding through the apprenticeship levy transfer, which allows businesses to transfer up to 50% of their apprenticeship levy funds to other employers, to encourage investment in workforce development.
The national scheme was launched here in February. It’s been developed to help fill the severe skills gap in the tech industry, as well as upskilling and futureproofing the next generation of digital repair technicians. The new Digital Device Repair Technician Apprentices started in June and so far, 20 have started the apprenticeship and we have plans to increase that further over the coming months.
18-year-old Isabella Harrison is one of the apprentices whose apprenticeship is being funded by the City Council. She said: “When I was looking for different apprenticeships to apply for, I knew I wanted to do something with technology. I found TMT First on the apprenticeship.gov.uk website and when I read what they offered I was immediately interested. They offered everything I wanted to do so I did some research about the company and then applied the same day.”
She added: “I’m learning all about the devices and how to repair them step by step. The training I have received has been very in-depth and the support has been fantastic – there is always someone there to ask for help and I am really enjoying it.”
TMT First’s Head of Human Resources Laura-Jane Wootton said: “We are delighted that our apprenticeship is well underway and that the six apprentices funded by the City Council have already started and are really enjoying their learning journey with us. It is well documented that there is a severe skills gap in the tech industry and as the number of digital devices grows across the UK, that skills shortage is only going to increase. The launch of the apprenticeship earlier this year was a pivotal moment as it will help fill that gap by upskilling the next generation of digital repair technicians. We are very grateful to have Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s full support.”
Councillor Jane Ashworth, Council Leader said: “We have followed TMT First’s journey and have seen the incredible amount of work they have put in, with their partners to get the Digital Device Repair Technician Apprenticeship off the ground earlier this year. We are delighted to see that the apprentices are enjoying the qualification, and we are proud to be supporting it.
She added: “The apprenticeship levy transfer really does help us foster collaboration and skill development. By facilitating the redistribution of funds, the system promotes broader access to apprenticeship opportunities and helps address skills gaps across various sectors, not only to drive economic growth, enhance employment prospects, but to foster a more skilled workforce too.”
Over the coming year it’s predicted that at least 40 apprentices will join the scheme, with the aim to increase that year on year.
ENDS
The Apprenticeship Levy, introduced in the UK in April 2017, is a government initiative designed to encourage employers to invest in apprenticeship training. It requires all employers operating in the UK, with an annual pay bill exceeding £3 million, to contribute to the levy. The levy is set at 0.5% of the employer’s annual pay bill and is collected through the PAYE (Pay as You Earn) process.