Skills Boost: Further boost to regional Apprenticeships as Nuffield Health’s Apprenticeship levy pledge takes the regional ‘Share to Support’ scheme fund over £4m.

£4 million has now been pledged to the region’s to help people across the West of England develop new skills through apprenticeships.

Following Mayor Dan Norris’s call in National Apprenticeship week for more large firms to sign up to the region’s ‘Share to Support’ scheme, Nuffield Health have responded in style by pledging £100,000 to support smaller firms with their ambitions to become apprentice employers.

Dan Norris said:

“It’s fantastic over £4m has been raised through Share to Support for apprenticeship training in the West."

“This will help ensure more locals get the skills they need. It’s great we’ve been able to achieve this important milestone in Apprenticeships Week!"

“Thank you to Nuffield Health for such a generous pledge to the West of England Share to Support scheme run by my Mayoral Combined Authority.”

The Share to Support Apprenticeship Levy Share Scheme managed by the Western Training Provider Network is working in partnership with The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority.

Ben Davies, Nuffield Organisational Development Director said:

“We are delighted to be working with WTPN to help small and medium sized social-enterprises, with their aspirations to support underrepresented groups into employment through qualifications, on-the-job experience and employment opportunities.  Strategic, values-based partnerships like these are important in helping to deliver our purpose of building a healthier nation by creating opportunities in the community for all”.

Alex Richards Managing Director of the WTPN added:

“I am absolutely delighted that the Mayor’s call to action resulted in more funds to the scheme and that we have crossed the £4m mark, and thrilled that Nuffield Health have joined other large businesses in making a difference. This is the second pledge in just a week; Aviva, who have a local base and workforce, gifted £100,000 on Monday.

“This gift will enable further business and residents to prosper through the development of skills and access to apprenticeships. Put together, our impartial small business apprenticeship information and guidance service and the ‘share to support’ scheme have now supported and funded over 400 apprenticeships to date. "

“We get regular requests for levy share funds from hard pressed, smaller businesses keen to utilise apprenticeships to power their workforce - it’s crucial that we can support them."

The project forms part of Mayoral Priority Skills Fund part funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Western Training Provider Network is a ‘not for profit’ membership network of local and regional Post 16 education and training providers that has been running for 20 years.

WTPN members deliver the vast majority of the region’s apprenticeships. They work collaboratively to improve quality, the system and accessibility of education and training programmes.

Along with the ‘share to support scheme’ the WTPN runs impartial apprenticeship guidance services for smaller businesses and information and guidance sessions for schools, pupils, parents, carers and teachers.

If you would like more information on the WTPN or to contact them,

please see their website: www.wtpn.org.uk

or contact: apprenticeships@wtpn.org.uk

About Nuffield Health

Driven by our purpose to build a healthier nation, our experts have been working together for more than 65 years to make the nation fitter, healthier, happier and stronger.

Nuffield Health provides health and wellbeing for every part of you. We believe that the best healthcare should help prevent illness by looking after mind and body. That’s why our connected health and wellbeing offering spans physical and mental health – from providing mental health support or hospital care and treatment to personal training, health assessments, GP services and physiotherapy.

We work together as a team to help you achieve your health and wellbeing ambitions, championing free health and wellbeing programmes in local communities by giving more people the tools they need to live a healthy life. These programmes help people understand and improve their own health, from those living with joint pain, to helping rehabilitate people experiencing the long-term effects from COVID-19.

Find out more about us and our pioneering models of care: https://www.nuffieldhealth.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn