• Doubling the number of apprenticeships (from 6% of cohort to 12%)
•
Improving the skills base through Kent’s vocational programme
• Supporting small businesses to grow (98% of Kent’s
48,000 businesses less than 100 employees)
• Substantially reduce the number of young unemployed and in particular reduce long term unemployment .
• Linking in with our Troubled Families initiative in Kent.

• Disconnect between schools and employers
• Focus on academic routes
• Limited understanding of apprenticeships amongst young people & parents
• Lack of employers ready to take on young people, especially now

Length of unemployment increasing
Kent 18-24 Claimant Count and Length of Claim from 2000
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
Total
0-3 months
3-6 months
6-9 months
9-12 months
1 year +

• KCC Grant
– £2m from Big Society Fund to create one thousand, £2000 grants for employers that recruits an 18-24 yr old who has been on benefits for 3 months or longer
• Youth Contract – Wage support via Work Programme
– £2,275 for 6 month opportunity
– With our funding becomes £4,275 for 20 months employment
(inc. minimum 12 month apprenticeship)
• National Apprenticeship Service Grant
– £1500 for 12 month apprenticeship – open to all
– With our funding becomes £3500 for 15 months employment
(inc. minimum 12 month apprenticeship) only for Job Centre clients

Employer Criteria
• Based in Kent
• Private companies up to 250 employees
• Social Enterprises /Voluntary Orgs
• Public Sector
• Offer minimum 12 month opportunity
• Not to have started an apprentice in past 2 years – unless recruiting from Work
Programme clients

Delivered by:
• An aggressive marketing campaign to promote to employers ( both public and private sector) the opportunities that well motivated apprentices offer to their business. Reaching them through a range of routes:
• Through radio, billboards, press, business networks etc
• Training providers promoting
• Work Programme providers promoting
• JCP promoting to their employers
• Myth busting – reducing red tape and bureaucracy, reducing the cost from £52 pw
• Supporting employers through apprenticeship recruitment process
• Match-making the appropriate apprentice to business need, and opportunity of a work trial

Reducing the cost and myth busting
All Apprentices
– all ages
• 1 st year exempt from minimum wage
• Apprenticeship contract has no continuation of employment rights
• Must aspire to reach level 2 qualification & beyond
16 – 18 year olds
Apprentices
• Exempt from minimum wage – 2 years
• Training fully funded by government
•Exempt from NI
•Subsidised bus travel via
Freedom Pass 16-18
£ 5000 per year
£ 96 p/w
18 – 24 year old apprentices:
3 – 9 mths unemployed
• Exempt from min wage for 1 st year
•£2000 KCC subsidy
• Possible employer contribution to training
•Exempt from NI
£ 3000 for a 1 year apprentice contract
£ 58 p/w
18-24 year old apprentices
:9 mths + unemployed
• Exempt from min wage for
1 st year
•Youth Contract £2,275
• KCC £2000 subsidy
• Possible employer contribution to training
£2,730 for a one year apprentice contract
£52 p/w

– Launched on 19 th April at Kent 2020
• 79 Businesses pledged apprenticeships
• 123 Apprenticeships pledged
• 13 starts
– 10 Care providers pledged 12 opportunities
– Banking sector partnership
– JCP Partnership
– Secretary of State visit