New flexible apprenticeship programme for small businesses launched by AMRC Training Centre

An incredible opportunity for small businesses within the Sheffield City Region to take on an apprentice is being offered at the AMRC Training Centre.

Starting in March 2016, the AMRC Training Centres new ‘Flexible Apprenticeship Programme is tailored exclusively to meet the needs of small businesses.

Delivering the same high-quality training as the established full-time 25 week model, the apprentices participating will receive intensive masterclasses staggered over a period of 16 weeks; designed to get them work-ready within a business as quickly as possible. Both these models are open to all small businesses in the region.

Working in association with Sheffield Business Park and Advanced Manufacturing Park developers Harworth Estates, the AMRC Training Centre will offer eight places on the new programme part-funded for the first year. These places will be awarded to business start-ups and small employers who have not recruited an apprentice within the last 12 months.

Harworth Estates and Sheffield Business Park won the £15,000 Lambert Smith Hampton Enterprise Award for demonstrating how the proposed Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District across Sheffield and Rotherham will make the most of the Governments devolution programme, showcasing innovative thinking in the property industry.

They generously matched the prize money to create a £30,000 fund to enable local young people that are not in education, employment or training, to get apprenticeships with local advanced manufacturers and a place at the AMRC Training Centre.

AMRC Training Centre Programme Manager, Daniel Swift said the new flexible programme creates an ideal opportunity for any small business looking to take on an apprentice for the first time:

“From the very beginning the apprentices will be contributing to a businesss growth and performance, as the new flexible programme allows apprentices to be with their employer for several weeks at a time in between training.”

Iain Thomson, Partnerships Manager at Harworth Estates, said “Developing future talent for small businesses is the only way well achieve sustainable economic growth for the region and both Harworth Estates and Sheffield Business Park are delighted with the programme that the AMRC Training Centre has developed for this purpose.”

Interested companies can find more information about how to apply for the uniquely funded scheme here.

The news comes just after the AMRC Training Centre announced its new all-inclusive training packages for continual professional development (CPD), allowing business to book and plan for workforce development in advance, saving money in the process.

Employers are now able to develop a training package to suit the requirements of their workforce from a range of courses including Metals, Materials and Machining, to Leadership and Health and Safety.

Paying a set amount to use towards CPD courses over a 12 month period, businesses have the potential to save up to £1500 in that time on their workforces training and development needs.