Twelve organisations have won a share of £7m of Government funding to set up Apprenticeship Training Associations (ATAs) and Group Training Associations (GTAs).
These new associations will help a range of organisations, especially small businesses, to offer over 14,000 apprenticeship places for young people over the next three years.
The apprenticeships, which will focus on opportunities for 16 to 18-year-olds, will be offered in industries vital for the country’s economic growth, including environmental, creative, engineering, manufacturing, logistics and business administration.
Apprenticeship Training Associations (ATAs) are companies or partnerships acting as a recruitment agency, placing apprentices with “host” employers. If the business is unable to continue supporting the apprentice for any reason, he/she will return to the ATA and will be re-assigned to another business.
In addition, the funding will also help develop and expand new Group Training Associations (GTAs). For small businesses which might not have the capacity to provide their own training, a GTA helps them to share expertise with other employers and develop their own dedicated training.
The fund has encouraged GTAs to be developed in sectors which currently have low numbers of apprentices.
The nine ATAs and 3 GTAs will provide over 3,000 apprenticeship starts this academic year.
FinSMEs
21/10/2009