Businesses across all sectors and of all sizes can now apply for a share of up to £240 million to create tailored training programmes that address their specific skills needs.
BIS writes:
The Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) has already committed around £90 million and leveraged £115 million from companies including Siemens, AkzoNobel and AJ Woods Engineering. Projects range from helping young people into work by delivering pre-employment training, to extending apprenticeships and training to supply chains.
Applications are now open for the second round and will close on 28 March.
Application forms and guidance for round two can be found on the UKCES website www.ukces.org.uk/employerownership
The Employer Ownership Pilot (EOP) is a competitive fund, launched in November 2011, jointly funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education. It routes public investment directly to employers so they can design and deliver more flexible training packages. It is a competitive fund of up to £340 million in total. Round one has been a real success, committing in principle nearly £90 million over two years in grant, and matched by an expected £115 million in employer investment.
The prospectus sets out the rationale for the scheme in more detail. The vision of greater employer ownership has been championed by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) – a non-departmental public body that provides strategic leadership on skills and employment issues.
UK Government News: LINK
