Government Support Firms with £25 Million for Training

Matthew Hancock, Skills and Enterprise Minister, has pledged to support automotive industry businesses as part of the cash injection with £20 million. Businesses are able to submit proposals for funding.

Three successful bidders for the EOP (Employer Ownership Pilot) fund were also announced. Blackpool Pleasure Beach (leisure and tourism), Kostal (UK) Ltd (manufacturing and engineering) and Freedom Communications (unified communications) will receive £5.2 million between them to fund new apprenticeship and training frameworks and create new learning and employment opportunities.

Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock said: “Under this scheme, employers combine their own money with government funding, to invest in the training they need. It’s simple, direct, and focussed. We’ve learnt a lot from the first rounds of funding about how to support employers, some sectors have specialist skills and it is these companies that know their training needs best. By providing them with the funding, they can build training schemes around their requirements.”

The Minister went on to announce successes from the last year’s successful EOP bidders. National Grid, Everton Football Club, Rogers Restorations and Costain have pledged to create a total of 5,000 traineeships, which will be funded by EOP.