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SOUTH YORKSHIRE APPRENTICESHIP LEVY MATCHMAKING SERVICE RECEIVES PLEDGE FROM BBC

The South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service is to receive new funding from the BBC to support apprenticeship training within local small and mediums size enterprises (SMEs) across South Yorkshire. The service, which forms part of the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub, is funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and delivered by the South Yorkshire Colleges Partnership. The BBC has now pledged £100,000 Apprenticeship Levy fund, which will allow people who want to work in the creative and digital industries, or who currently are, to earn while they learn.

The South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service is one of several services receiving levy funds from the national broadcaster with an aim to encourage SMEs in their area to apply for the funds so they can recruit apprentices and create apprenticeships for their businesses.

The South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub, which aims to see 300 new high-quality apprenticeships brought to the region by 2025, was launched by South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, in December 2023.

Welcoming the BBC’s additional funding, he said: “This contribution from the BBC recognises the significant contribution the creative and digital industries make to South Yorkshire’s young people and the wider economy.  South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy. That means we need the right people with the right skills, and the right training and education to support them”.

Sarah Moors, BBC Head of Apprenticeships, said: “Apprenticeships provide a vital route into the media for people from a range of backgrounds. In pledging these funds, we hope to support the development of new talent for the creative, cultural and digital sectors, and to equip existing employees with additional skills”.

Launched in 2017 by the Government, the Apprenticeship Levy allows for organisations to pay a certain amount each year towards the costs of enabling new apprenticeships and upskilling existing employees.

Organisations generally use their levy to support those that take up apprenticeships in their own workplaces, but when that money is not spent it can be transferred to SMEs who do not have a levy fund themselves to cover apprenticeship learning and development.

For more information about the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service visit www.levymatch.southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/

To find out more about South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub visit https://www.southyorkshireapprenticeships.org/

For more information about BBC Apprenticeship Partnerships visit www.bbc.co.uk/apprenticeship-partnerships/

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MAYOR & DIGITAL HEALTH HUB UNVEIL INVESTMENT IN HEALTH TECH RESEARCH & TRAINING BY GOOGLE

SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S MAYOR AND SOUTH YORKSHIRE DIGITAL HEALTH HUB UNVEIL INVESTMENT IN HEALTH TECH RESEARCH AND TRAINING BY GOOGLE TO TACKLE INEQUALITIES 

  • South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard announces that Google has invested in groundbreaking health tech research and upskilling for the South Yorkshire region.
  • The first in a series of pioneering studies will assess if smartphone sensors could aid the detection and prevention of illnesses, alleviating NHS pressures.
  • The South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority will work with Google, alongside the £4m South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, to fund digital skills training scholarships and apprenticeships for local students and businesses.
  • This partnership brings together academic experts, medical professionals, local government and the technology sector, to tackle the region’s stark healthcare inequalities.

1st February 2024, Sheffield – South Yorkshire’s Mayor, the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are working with Google to invest in groundbreaking research, apprenticeships and digital skills training across the South Yorkshire region. These academic, medical, and local government institutions have come together to form the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, a digital innovation centre that will use this investment to help tackle the health inequalities in the region and drive economic growth.

As part of this, the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub will work with Google on a series of pioneering research opportunities. The first of these – the PUMAS study – aims to understand whether Pixel smartphone sensors that detect light, radar, and electrical signals from the heart could aid the detection of common conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol and chronic kidney disease. Early detection of these conditions could help people to make informed lifestyle choices which could slow down and even in some cases prevent their progression.

The first study of its kind, looking at how digital technologies could transform the way that people interact with their health, has the potential to save lives, improve health outcomes and alleviate NHS pressures.

Tim Chico, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sheffield and Director of South Yorkshire’s Digital Health Hub, said:  “We launched this health hub because we know that the more information we have about patients’ health as early as possible, the more opportunities we will have to make a difference.  With partners like Google, we are able to look at how we harness technology to support that information gathering, to support patients and medical professionals to make decisions together earlier leading to better outcomes. Bringing together patients, healthcare professionals, researchers and companies creates a community of practice – it’s the future”.

The research will take place through the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, a £4m partnership led by the two universities alongside partners in health and business, to drive the development of innovative digital technologies to improve the way diseases are diagnosed and treated.

The Hub is hosted at Sheffield Hallam’s world-leading Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC), which is dedicated to improving health and wellbeing through innovations that help people move.

Steve Haake MBE, Professor of Sports Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University and Deputy Director of the Digital Health Hub, said: “Our vision is to develop digital health tools that incorporate information from daily life to help patients and healthcare professionals make the right decisions at the right time. I am delighted to be working collaboratively across the region and with industry partners like Google whose expertise and support will be invaluable to the success of the Digital Health Hub and its ability to improve people’s health outcomes across South Yorkshire”.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Google are world leaders in digital health. Our partnership is based on our shared ambition to tackle the stark health inequalities that plague our communities, using cutting edge digital tools and solutions to address long-term problems.

“I refuse to accept that a baby born in Rotherham today is likely to live a life that is five years shorter than a baby born in a wealthy part of London. I know Google do too. That is why this investment from Google is so important; because it both reflects and reinforces our commitment to dramatically improving health outcomes across South Yorkshire, as we continue to make progress towards our goal of becoming the healthiest region in the country”.

To ensure that the region is equipped with the digital skills needed to harness these new technologies and unlock growth opportunities, The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University will also have access to 500 Google Career Certificate scholarships for their students and people working or aspiring to work in digital health across the region. These scholarships will cover the cost of Google Career Certificates, training which provides learners with job ready, entry level qualifications in subjects such as cybersecurity, data analytics, project management, user experience and IT support. Google will also provide 500 Fitbits for a separate study on post-surgical rehabilitation.

The three-year long partnership will see the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority work with Google to fund 30 digital apprenticeships for small businesses in South Yorkshire. The funding will be made available to local businesses for both upskilling existing employees and supporting new apprentices. This will enable businesses across South Yorkshire to retain and develop employees as well as expand, creating high-impact job opportunities in the region.

The South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority will announce (on February 1st) the investment at a Google Digital Garage event at the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub based at Sheffield Hallam’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC). At the event, over 150 local business owners and individuals will have the opportunity to learn digital skills and take part in the recently launched AI focused ‘New Fundamentals’ free training series, to learn practical skills and knowledge enabling them to capture the benefits of AI.

VP & Managing Director for Google UK and Ireland, Debbie Weinstein, added: “We’re proud to be supporting South Yorkshire’s academic, medical and local government institutions as they explore how technology could improve quality of life, alleviate NHS pressures and drive economic growth.

“Technology has the power to transform the nation’s health and we recognize the need for an approach that unlocks both the innovative tools and the skills needed to implement these solutions. That’s why we’re excited to have this opportunity to invest in this cross-sector collaboration which we hope will drive lasting change and serve as a proof of concept for other regions across the UK”.

 

Notes

  • The Google Digital Garage is an event in partnership with South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, and South Yorkshire’s Digital Health Hub – sponsored by University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University
  • Led by University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, the £4 million South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub is supported by EPSRC to tackle healthcare inequalities and transform how patients are treated in South Yorkshire.
  • The Hub is part of the Insigneo Institute at the University of Sheffield and the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, covering a region of 1.4 million people affected by high levels of disease and health inequalities.

For interviews or further comments on behalf of Mayor Oliver Coppard, please contact Ludo Orlando on 075 30400192 or ludovica@bbpartners.co.uk

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Sheffield Hallam pledges £200k to boost Yorkshire apprenticeships

Sheffield Hallam University has pledged to contribute over £200,000 to a new regional scheme which will provide significant support to apprenticeships in South Yorkshire

Press contact: Neil Stanwix |  n.stanwix@shu.ac.uk

 

The Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service, which is being led by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), allows large employers to pool unspent apprenticeship levy funding so that it can be accessed by smaller regional businesses rather than being reclaimed by central government.

The University has pledged an initial contribution of over £200,000, the largest of any regional organisation. 

Apprenticeships funded by Sheffield Hallam through the matchmaking service will be focused on the voluntary and early years sectors, priority areas which have been identified through close collaboration with local leaders. 

Greg Burke, Director of Place and Civic Engagement at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “At Sheffield Hallam, we have strong civic values and are committed to supporting businesses and our regional economy. Apprenticeships play an incredibly important role in upskilling and – at a time when investment into South Yorkshire is beginning to boom – training and skills are key. This initiative will enable local people to access transformational opportunities, and attract new talent from across the UK to help grow South Yorkshire’s economy.”

Professor Sally Pearse, Director of the Early Years Community Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “The early years sector plays a vital role in supporting families and giving young children a firm foundation to build upon. Having a strong and diverse pool of highly trained and skilled staff has an enormous impact on children’s lives.  Providers in the sector face a number of financial and recruitment challenges, but this initiative will help to ease the cost of training new staff, and build a talented workforce for the future.”

South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy. But if we’re going to get there, and if everyone is going to be able to access the jobs and opportunities that the new economy will bring, we need to make sure people have the right educational skills, so they can access opportunity wherever it might be.

“That’s what our new Apprenticeship Hub is all about; offering people, organisations and businesses a ‘one-stop shop’ for all the information and support they need to get the right skills, in the right place, so we can all benefit from more jobs.”

The Apprenticeship Levy was launched in 2017 and requires large employers to earmark funding for apprenticeships.  The matchmaking service will ensure that unused funding is made available to smaller businesses and organisations in the region, giving them the opportunity to take on apprentices with no training costs.

The Apprentice Levy Matchmaking Service was launched alongside the new South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub (with which Sheffield Hallam is involved as a provider of degree apprentices) on 5 December 2023.  SYMCA‘s first ambition is to bring 300 new high-quality apprenticeships to the region by June 2025.

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AVIVA PLEDGE £100K TO NEW APPRENTICESHIP LEVY MATCHMAKING SERVICE

The first company pledging money towards a new scheme to bring high quality apprenticeships to South Yorkshire has been announced. Aviva will pledge a total of £100k to the new Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service launched by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub. The money will help fully fund training costs for four apprentices as they start their training as Level 3 Early Years Educators and Level 5 Early Years Practitioners from early 2024.

The Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service is a new scheme in the region which provides smaller businesses with access to additional apprenticeship funding. As part of this, larger employers pledge funding to support other businesses who would benefit from apprenticeships through unspent Apprenticeship Levy funds. Smaller businesses can then apply for this money and if successful will no longer pay the 5% costs towards the training of apprentices.

Explaining the new service Khalil Kirkwood, Senior Development Manager at SYMCA, said: “Large employers, who are currently paying the Apprenticeship Levy, can pledge their unspent allocation into a pot that smaller businesses can then apply for.

“Smaller businesses, if successful with their application, will have the opportunity to upskill their workforce or expand their team through the apprenticeship funding that has been pledged by larger companies.

“Being able to offer this innovative approach to address collective skills shortages in South Yorkshire is just one of the strategies we are looking at to improve the lives of our residents.”

The Apprentice Levy Matchmaking Service was launched alongside the new South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub on 5 December. The initial ambition is to bring 300 new high-quality apprenticeships to the region by June 2025.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy. But if we’re going to get there, and if everyone is going to be able to access the jobs and opportunities that the new economy will bring, we need to make sure people have the right educational skills, so they can access opportunity wherever it might be.

“That’s what our new Apprenticeship Hub is all about; offering people, organisations and businesses a ‘one-stop shop’ for all the information and support they need to get the right skills, in the right place, so we can all benefit from more jobs.”

Danny Harmer, Aviva’s Chief People Officer, said: “Apprenticeships create meaningful opportunities for people to develop their careers, at any stage and age. Gifting some of our Apprenticeship Levy means Aviva can support businesses in South Yorkshire to create the skills they need for the future – which can only be good news for our communities.”

To find out more about South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub visit https://www.southyorkshireapprenticeships.org/

For more information about the South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Levy Matchmaking Service visit www.levymatch.southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/

 

 

 

Editors’ notes

The Apprenticeship Levy is an amount paid at a rate of 0.5% of an employer’s annual pay bill. Typically employers pay the levy if their annual pay bill is more than £3 million.

About South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub – South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub was launched by South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard in December 2023. The Hub aims to create better quality and a higher number of apprenticeships start-ups in the region

It acts as a one-stop shop for businesses, apprentices, and anyone hoping to start an apprenticeship by providing a range of services:

  • Information, advice and guidance services to apprentices, parents, and employers
  • Help for businesses (SMEs in particular) to access technical talent across the region to tackle skills shortages
  • Progression pathways and opportunities into and out of high-quality Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships
  • Helping support the development of a public sector approach to apprenticeships, including flexi-job apprenticeships.

Media contacts

For media enquiries, please contact press.enquiries@southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk and joe.booth@aviva.com

 

 

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South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub launches

On Tuesday, 5 December, The South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub officially launched to help businesses and individuals make more informed and better choices about apprenticeships within the region. An event was held at AESSEAL’s New York Stadium in Rotherham to mark the occasion.

Based at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) in Sheffield and working with the South Yorkshire Colleges Group Partnership, the Hub is designed to help businesses, irrespective of size but with a focus on SMEs, find an apprenticeship that meets their needs. It will also offer advice and guidance to anyone who is considering an apprenticeship, or wishes to learn more about them.

In a video message, South Yorkshire mayor, Oliver Coppard said: “Everyone involved today is in the business of changing lives and how our communities work so that we can face the future with confidence. Today is our moment to renew our commitment to making South Yorkshire the best place in the country to take up an apprenticeship.”

Jack Kidder, responsible business manager at Henry Boot Construction, said that “apprentices are the lifeblood of our business”. Henry Boot co-chairs the South Yorkshire Cornerstone Group, which is a collective of local employers committed to careers education for local young people, and sits under the governance of SYMCA.

“Never doubt the power of apprenticeships,” said Kidder. “I know how amazing industry and innovation is in this part of the world, yet we still don’t promote it strongly enough. That’s what The South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub is here to change.”

The Hub’s manager Keith Richardson announced a second offering at the event – The Levy Matchmaking Service. The apprenticeship levy, a form of taxation which was introduced by the UK government in 2017, is charged at 0.5 per cent of the total annual pay bill of large employers. In return, they can utilise it for funding apprenticeships.

Smaller businesses not paying into the levy have to pay 5 per cent towards the cost of training apprentices – creating a barrier for many despite the government funding the rest. Meanwhile, numerous larger businesses have struggled to fully commit to spending the fund, meaning it goes back to the treasury, said Richardson.

The Levy Matchmaking Service enables larger employers to share 25 per cent of their levy with other businesses so that they can remove the funding barriers. “We want to keep as much of that funding in this region to fuel skills and drive growth,” said Richardson. “The service will be run through The South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Hub to give everybody a point of contact.”

Fliss Miller, director of skills at SYMCA, said that The Hub will address the issue of skills challenges in South Yorkshire. “We have low productivity across the region, and therefore we need to invest in our people to make sure we are equipped with the necessary skills,” she said.

“As employers, we need to think about the longer term trajectory of where we are going,” she added. “Thirteen per cent of jobs across South Yorkshire are at high risk of automation. We’re not standing still as an economy; we need to be focusing on future drivers of change.”

Daniel Fell, chief executive of Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, spoke of the importance of being proactive as a region to drive the agenda forward. “We need to get out there and do business engagement,” he said. “It takes time, energy and expertise to get there. Knocking on a few more doors and showing people what the region can help them with is critical.”

The event also heard from a panel of local employers and their apprentices, to understand how apprenticeships have enriched their organisations. This included Mark Storey, chief executive of Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care, and operational team leader apprentice Sarah Mills.

“When we thought about getting an apprentice, we looked at the skills shortages that we had,” said Storey. “As the chief executive, I was the bottleneck so I needed someone to support me.”

Mills is one of a growing number of individuals in the older apprentice age bracket – highlighting the growing diversity of these training programmes. Storey said: “When you’re looking at the business and your journey, don’t just consider the younger people in the workforce. We looked at upskilling leaders by putting them on management courses up to Level 5.”

Discussing how she has benefited from the apprenticeship, Mills, a former teacher, said: “Under the guidance of Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care, I felt confident that the time was right, and I was completely interested in the job role. Plus, I’m still helping people and they’re lovely to work with.”

Original article can be found here.

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