Scheme is set to create 4,000 apprenticeships

AN ambitious £77.4m scheme to create 4,000 new apprenticeships in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire was launched yesterday.

By The Newsroom

Published 9th Mar 2013, 00:01 BST

The Skills Made Easy initiative will encourage small and medium-sized firms to take on apprentices.

Improving skills was central to the ‘city deal’ between the Sheffield City Region and Government last year which will see significant skills funding handed to the  area.

James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Our credibility as a city region is now on the line with the success of this deal and this scheme.

“I suspect and am very hopeful that if we make a success of this then there will be more to come.”

Companies considering taking on apprentices will be given an account manager who will help with issues such as selecting candidates and designing training schemes.