How will you be using the new apprenticeship levy?

Jane Grant, head of learning and development, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff

We have embraced the apprenticeship levy and are using it to enhance our provision for early career professionals. 

Building on our apprentice programme at Level 3 (GCSE), we have taken an active role in helping our industry write some of the new degree apprenticeships.

The new part-time degree and master’s qualifications provide our existing apprentices a progression route and new recruits a viable alternative to full-time university education, increasing opportunities to a wider range of applicants and in areas across the business.

Pat Flaherty, chief executive Aecom, UK & Ireland

Under the new apprenticeship levy, our focus will be making sure our current investment in nurturing skills is not diverted to a wider pool of less effective training programmes than those Aecom is renowned for delivering.

By the end of 2017, Aecom will have in excess of 400 employees undertaking qualifications from Levels 3 to 6, therefore taking full advantage of the opportunity for training provided though the apprenticeship levy.

Scott Sinclair, CEO, CeeD

The arrival of the apprenticeship levy provides employers with the opportunity to take a strategic view on future proofing the skills that they will need to align their capacity to their future business. The construction industry runs with a dynamic skills demand model, but always appears to be based on what we know of the skills market today, not future-fit for tomorrow.

The reality of market demand means that we all have to be more productive and efficient, and the arrival of Industrie 4.0 is impacting construction with factory built environments, and the arrival of on-site automation and robotics. The industry must include the skills to support these changes.

Mark Castle, deputy chief operating officer, Mace

Mace has long been committed to creating stronger momentum behind increased UK apprenticeship recruitment. We view the levy as another tool to push towards that objective.

We’re confident that we’ll be able to leverage all of our levy funding towards that goal. If for any reason we can’t, we’ll be working with our suppliers to encourage their recruitment of apprentices as well.

We’ve suggested that some of the levy could be used to create a new technical qualification in infrastructure delivery. This would help to address the predicted skills shortage, encouraging more young people to consider the sector for a career.

James Grinnell, group people director, Currie & Brown

Apprentices form an important proportion of our workforce. In light of the levy, we’re partnering with University College of Estate Management to get the most value out of our levy spend.

We plan to continue to increase the number of apprentices that we hire, as they’re a great asset to any business.

Apprenticeships hold the key to securing top talent for your company, and we strongly believe that the return on investment is vast.

Read more

The apprenticeship levy and how to spend it