Employers

Apprenticeships are an exciting option for both apprentice and employer.

You can employ apprentices at different levels, from school leavers and university graduates, to people who want to further their careers or change career direction completely.

You can hire someone new or upskill an existing employee.

As an employer, you can get funding from the government to help pay for apprenticeship training.

The benefits for your business

Hiring an apprentice is a productive and effective way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce.

• 86% of employers said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation
• 78% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve productivity
• 74% of employers said apprenticeships helped them improve the quality of their product or service

Other benefits of working with apprentices include:

• you can adapt their training according to the needs of your business
• they’re motivated to learn new skills
• you can expand and upskill your workforce

If you are an SME and would like support accessing skills training and apprenticeships, as well as government incentives and unspent Levy funds to pay for apprenticeship training, contact the Transform programme

Are you an East Sussex employer looking to make a difference in your local community?

This is your opportunity to change a life, whilst also helping you recruit the skills you need!

‘Moving On Up!’ supports East Sussex residents, living in supported and temporary accommodation, to secure an apprenticeship or employment, and permanent housing.

As an employer on the scheme, you will:

• Be part of a collective of employers making a real difference to people’s lives.
• Claim up to £7,000 in apprenticeship incentives which could help with salary costs!
• Be asked to pay no less that a minimum wage of £12,000 per year.
• Receive full impartial guidance and support to take on your apprentice and apply for incentives.
• Be allocated a supported apprenticeship mentor for you and your apprentice.

Apprentices on the scheme will receive:

• Help securing an apprenticeship which is a real job with a living wage and great prospects.
• Pre-employment training and in work mentoring support.
• Practical help with securing permanent accommodation including access to a rental deposit of up to £3,000

SME employers can also access FREE impartial information and skills support through the TRANSFORM service, which could help you access funding to cover apprenticeship training costs. www.sctp.org.uk/transform-programme

To get involved please visit www.sctp.org.uk or email movingonup@SCTP.org.uk

The Employability and Skills Team at East Sussex County Council is co-ordinating a county wide Careers Campaign from 2020 aimed at helping unemployed, redundant and young people look for employment. The organising group, including agencies from East Sussex already supporting unemployed people, will explore the potential for holding virtual, sector specific careers events through an online conferencing platform.

Look out for further information on this web page, which will soon host infographics and short films to promote specific career opportunities within East Sussex.  

For more general information around adult skills and careers, please go to our adults section.

To find a list of training providers and courses available for adults go to Improve Your Skills

Become a Disability Confident Employer and SEND Champion

Disability Confident East Sussex supports positive employment pathways for all young people, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Are you on a journey to become a more inclusive workplace?Would you like to ensure that young people and adults achieve paid employment?

The Government’s Disability Confident scheme helps employers make the most of the opportunities provided by employing disabled people. It is voluntary and has been developed by employers and representatives of disabled people.Find out more about the tiered scheme by watching the following video:

Guide to Disability Inclusion in the Workplace

The definitive guide to disability inclusion in the workplace covers a lot of important considerations such as:

• The laws in place to protect people with disabilities
• The disability employment gap, its causes, and how it changes according to demographic groups
• Practical steps to support disabled employees
• How to build a more inclusive culture in the workplace

Help young people to prepare for the world of work!

If you are an employer or employee and would like to help young people to prepare for the fast-changing world of work, we would love to hear from you! Professionals from any level and sector who would like to support learners are invited to get in touch with the East Sussex Careers Hub team at Enterprise.Coordinator@eastsussex.gov.uk

Open Doors is a project run by the East Sussex Careers Hub each academic year, between October and July. The project provides young people in East Sussex with meaningful experiences of the workplace.

Local employers open up their workplaces to small groups of pupils, giving them the opportunity to explore various industry sectors in East Sussex and learn about the roles, employability skills and career pathways within the organisation.

Open Doors has helped pupils to decide their career paths and inspired them to work harder in school. It has even led to work experience placements with businesses who have hosted visits. Feedback shows that pupils find visits eye-opening and inspiring.

Employers can find out more about how the Open Doors project works using this digital guide. If your organisation would be interested in offering an Open Doors visit or has any questions, please contact the Careers Hub at OpenDoors@eastsussex.gov.uk 

‘Did you know that Currently only 4.9% of people with a learning disability known to local authorities are in work? 

Supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The main aim of a supported internship study programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach. The supported internship should contribute to the long-term career goals of the young person and match their capabilities. Alongside their time with the employer, supported interns complete a personalised study programme delivered by the school or college, which includes the chance to study for relevant qualifications, if appropriate, and English and maths at an appropriate level. Some of the benefits to businesses include:

• improving performance and retention rates in some high-turnover or hard to-fill posts, 
• Enables you to gain access to a new, diverse, talent stream with skills that allows you to develop a workforce that is representative of your community and demonstrates that you are a fair and inclusive employer and 
• There is evidence of hosting a supported internship boosting the morale of your workforce.  

Internships Work: Resources for Employers

If you would like to find out more information on becoming a business that hosts supported interns, then please email: enterprise.coordinator@eastsussex.gov.uk

Would you like to support young people that are still at Secondary School that may have additional needs? Host a work experience placement and find out more here: employer-Guide-to-Work-Experience