Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 2nd May 2024 Issue no. 1112
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UK apprentices to benefit from Mitie investment
Mitie has passed the £2 million milestone for its Apprenticeship Levy gifting pledges, which has enabled over 30 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and local community services across the UK to fund apprenticeship schemes for future talent.
With less than 3% of Levy-paying employers gifting Levy funding to SMEs, this makes it one of just 580 companies investing unspent Levy funds to support their local communities.
As a large business, the company pays into the Apprenticeship Levy each year, with this money used to fund apprenticeship training and development for both its existing colleagues and new recruits. Recent changes to the Levy mean organisations can also gift up to 50% (previously 25%) of the previous year's contributions to other organisations to develop their future talent pipeline through apprenticeship schemes.
With more than 1,200 colleagues undertaking an apprenticeship at any one time, in a diverse range of areas from heat pump engineers and data technicians to security officers, business administration and project management, Mitie champions apprenticeships as a cornerstone for the development of its workforce.
Since its introduction in 2021, the company's Apprenticeship Levy gifting programme has supported a range of SMEs in the industries it works in to plug skills gaps in the engineering, construction, data, and digital sectors.
For example, Mitie has worked with a not-for-profit social enterprise, who secure apprenticeships for people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the construction sector, to fund the schemes of 13 apprentices in heating, plumbing, electrical, and carpentry roles.
In addition, its most recent collaboration is with the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), an organisation focused on driving economic growth, job creation and infrastructure development in Oxfordshire. As part of this partnership, Mitie has pledged £100,000 to support the recruitment and development of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) apprenticeships.
In commitment to the local communities it serves, Mitie has supported training for local fire establishments, including Manchester Fire Services. Since 2021, it has supported eight operational firefighter apprentices to successfully complete their programmes and become professional firefighters serving the greater Manchester community, and is currently supporting a further 18 who are due to complete their programme in January 2025.
Mitie is also committed to supporting people who have previously experienced barriers to employment in securing apprenticeships and employment through its Levy gifting approach. Its gifting funds were recently used by one of its partners to support seven people, who either have a disability or face socio-economic disadvantages, into managerial and leadership apprenticeship schemes.
Separately, recent support has enabled an individual who was previously long-term unemployed due to mental health challenges, to successfully achieve their Level 2 Carpentry and Joinery qualification and secure employment with the partner company.
"We focus our Levy gifting on helping groups with barriers to employment and supporting the local communities we serve," explains Kate Large, director of learning & development.
"From training firefighters, to helping people overcome long-term difficulties, to welcoming women in STEM, the £2 million we've gifted is having a positive impact in developing future talent."
11th April 2024