A supermarket assistant turned arborist and a retail worker who now works at a kindergarten are just two of the apprentices supported by a Norfolk scheme that makes use of unspent levy from businesses.
Over £3.8m has been pledged by over 30 donor companies in the first two financial years of Apprenticeships Norfolk’s Levy Support Scheme.
More than £3.2m has now been transferred to more than 160 businesses – triple the original £1m target.
This has directly supported almost 300 apprentices from Level 2 through to Level 7 and equates to around £130k for receiving businesses in cost savings.
A recent impact report estimates the economic return of supported apprenticeships to Norfolk to be around £47m.
The Levy Support Scheme aims to encourage businesses to share unspent apprenticeship levy funds through levy transfers, and to offer a bespoke matching service and wraparound support to Norfolk employers.
Participating businesses have included Amazon, RWE, and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Housing provider Flagship, Norwich School of Hair & Beauty and Sheringham Little Theatre are among those which have received funds.
The top three sectors by volume of transfers and apprenticeship starts in Norfolk are Health, Public Services & Care, Business Administration, and Engineering & Manufacturing, with over £1m of funding supporting ‘Health, Public Services & Care’. This includes employers in Primary Care, Secondary Care, and Social Care in Norfolk, as well as a range of NHS trusts, private healthcare providers, and community health organizations. These sectors continue to drive workforce development and skills growth across the region.
Cllr Fabian Eagle, at Norfolk County Council, said: “We know businesses are more likely to take on apprentices if financial support is available and the Levy Support Scheme has used unspent funding to enable them to do that.
“Increased quality and quantity of apprenticeships helps to address Norfolk’s skills shortages and this, in turn, increases productivity and stimulates economic growth.”
Cassie Moon is studying a Level 5 Digital Learning Designer apprenticeship with social housing group Flagship, which received a levy transfer from the BBC. Since joining, she has made exceptional progress, improving Flagship’s eLearning offer and helping grow the capability of its Academy team.
She now works closely with subject matter experts and stakeholders to deliver tailored solutions and is producing high-quality learning materials that are used across the business.
A Flagship spokesman said: “With all her modules complete and her portfolio well underway, her journey so far is a brilliant example of how apprenticeships can grow talent and add real value.
The money saved through levy transfer allowed us to expand our employer-education model - a partnership we began in 2021 to grow future talent in housing. This has enabled us to bring two more regional colleges into this successful programme, creating opportunities for 48 students and using the savings to further strengthen the pathway into the sector.
Vincents Electrical, based at Rackheath, near Norwich, was able to take on Matthew Robinson as a Level 2 Carpentry & Joinery apprentice after the business received a levy transfer from B&Q. He is now one of three apprentices in a workforce of 20.
Matthew has developed new skills in the role and engaged in the business in ways it did not expect, repaying its commitment to him several times over.
The company says: “The confidence we have shown in our apprentices is being returned to us in many ways, with enthusiasm, ideas, and creativity. The enthusiasm generated has spread to the whole team!”
