Financial support for local businesses to help the apprenticeship system respond to the impact of the COVID–19 crisis
The Department for the Economy (DfE) has developed an Apprenticeship Recovery Package for Northern Ireland that will channel financial support to local businesses to help the apprenticeship system respond to the impact of the COVID–19 crisis.
The Apprenticeship Recovery Package includes short term interventions which are targeted to reduce significant longer–term economic impacts. These interventions will reduce unemployment and ensure that employers continue to have access to people with the skills and qualifications needed to maintain productivity, to grow their businesses and to assist in closing the skills gap, ensuring that more people have a pathway to better paying jobs.
Apprenticeship Return, Retain and Result Scheme
As an employer, you may have had to furlough an apprentice under the terms of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. To help you return your apprentice(s) from furlough, and retain them until 31st March 2021 and on to successful completion of their apprenticeship, DfE will provide incentive payments to employers to support the return, retention and result for apprentices.
The total amount payable under the scheme will be a maximum of £3,700 per apprentice, distribution as follows:
Return – £500 per returned furloughed apprentice payable for the first full month of paid apprenticeship from 1 November 2020
Retain – maximum of £2,000 available: £500 per month for up to 4 months of paid apprenticeship between 1 December 2020 and 31 March 2021
Result – £1,200 for successful full framework achievement of a returned furloughed apprentice
This scheme is open to employers participating on the DfE–funded ApprenticeshipsNI or Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes, who return their furloughed apprentices to work since April 2020.
Recruitment of New Apprenticeships
This incentive is available to all employers to support the recruitment of new apprentices. As an employer, you will be eligible for up to £3,000 for each new apprenticeship opportunity created from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. This bonus will apply to all new apprenticeship opportunities and includes apprentices who have been made redundant:
Payment 1 – £2,000 after 90 days retention
Payment 2 – £1,000 after 200 days retention from first employment
This scheme is open to employers who take on an apprentice participating on the DfE–funded ApprenticeshipsNI or Higher Level Apprenticeship programmes.
