The Access Group has invested £100,000 in social care training via the apprenticeship levy.
The levy aims to fund work-based training in certain sectors by requiring larger employers to set aside 0.5 per cent of their total payroll for apprenticeships. To date, the levy has enabled organisation management software provider The Access Group’s Health, Support and Care (HSC) division to invest £100,000 in 86 health and social care apprenticeships across the UK.
Each month, Access HSC transfers funds to a range of care organisations, enabling them to work with apprenticeship providers of their choice to deliver employee training and support. Access HSC has supported care homes with apprenticeships ranging from Level 2 to level 5 (which is equivalent to a foundation degree). Benefactors of the financial support include residential care providers Burrow Down Support and Home2Home with Care.
Access HSC MD Steve Sawyer said: “We welcome discussions about reform to the apprenticeship levy scheme, as we are keen to maximise the impact of the funds and make apprenticeships more accessible. However, in traditionally ‘tech-poor’ sectors, like social care, the scheme is already making a positive impact, with apprenticeships playing a crucial role in improving job satisfaction and, ultimately, staff retention, with unhappy and unfulfilled staff more likely to move into other roles.
“As we have seen in health and care, where the money is helping to address some of the issues that have contributed to an already depleted workforce, I hope more organisations can benefit from being able to recruit more staff and upskill their existing teams.
“When we first explored the potential of this opportunity, we took the decision to make the investment available to all organisations, not just our customers, ensuring it can be used effectively by those who need it the most. Our approach aligns with recent comments made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, who outlined his commitment to apprenticeships and explained how the department will be working with local leaders on prioritisation.”
