Many of the employers we work with are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), non-levy organisations. With 95% – 100% of all training costs covered by government funding and additional incentive available, SMEs can benefit greatly from apprenticeship training programmes. They can:
- Increase productivity – your apprentice will learn from your experienced team and will be able to apply the valuable skills they’ve gained through their training.
- Tackle your skills shortage – as an employer you have an opportunity to mould the next generation of talent and develop relevant skills for the organisation, and address the skills gap.
- Diversify your team – Introducing an apprentice can help bring a fresh new perspective to your business, if they are an older apprentice they have a wealth of relevant skills and experience to offer.
Funding
If your organisation has an annual wage bill which is less than £3 million, you are a non-levy employer. This means you fall into co-investment funding of the apprenticeship. The government will provide 95% – 100% of the cost of the apprenticeship.
For apprentices aged up to 21, the apprenticeship is fully government-funded*. For apprentices aged 22 and over, the apprenticeship is 95% government-funded*. These new funding rules are applicable to apprentices starting from 1 April 2024.
This means that it couldn’t be a better time to engage with apprenticeships for SMEs. Whether you’re looking to upskill existing members of your team or recruit new apprentices, Damar Training can support you and your organisation.
*Please note: Some apprenticeships have accreditation costs which are not eligible for government funding
Overview of our apprenticeship programmes
With over 40 years history in the training sector, we help SMEs by providing expertly-designed training to new and existing staff, as well as helping individuals to start and progress in their careers, supporting people to achieve their potential, now and into the future.
We offer a range of apprenticeships with a blended training delivery model, meaning that apprentices can access learning resources 24/7, in addition to group coaching sessions and specialist workshops, and regular review visits. Find out more about the apprenticeship we offer:
The Level 2 Accounts and Finance Assistant, Level 3 Assistant Accountant and Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeships include the Association of Accounting Technicians’ AAT accountancy qualifications.
Learn more about our accounting apprenticeships.
We successfully deliver the Level 3 Business Administrator Apprenticeship standard to hundreds of newly recruited apprentices and existing staff across England every year and it is one of our most popular apprenticeships for SMEs.
Find out more about our Business Administration apprenticeships.
The Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship can be used to train new recruits or upskill existing staff, to help you deliver high quality service to your customers and clients. Our customer service training is flexible to suit the needs of your business.
Find out more about our Customer Service Apprenticeships.
We have now developed our training programme for the new data protection and information governance apprenticeship standard. Our first apprentices started on this qualification in October 2022. The materials and syllabus for this apprenticeship were designed in partnership with employers and leading data protection specialists, Act Now Training Limited. Typical job roles which are suitable for this apprenticeship include: data protection lead, data protection manager, information compliance officer, information governance lead, and privacy officer
Find out more about our Data Protection & Information Governance Apprenticeships.
Leadership and Management Apprenticeships help to build interpersonal and business skills, for experienced and newly appointed managers and supervisors. The training allows individuals to gain a recognised qualification, as well as benefit their teams and the overall business operation.
Find out more about our Management Apprenticeships.
Paralegal apprentices play a vital role in many law firms and in-house teams, supporting qualified lawyers and advising on routine matters.
This apprenticeship is a perfect entry point for apprentices new to legal services post-A levels or those joining the sector later in their careers. Combined with our solicitor apprenticeship it can be used as the first step on the path to qualification as a solicitor.
Find out more about our Paralegal Apprenticeships.
We are one of the few providers in the country to offer the Level 3 Travel Consultant Apprenticeship standard to newly recruited and existing members of staff in travel agencies across England.
Find out more about our Travel Apprenticeships.
Our solicitor apprenticeships bring together Damar’s longstanding expertise in legal apprenticeships with the technical expertise of BARBRI, a global leader in vocational legal education. Built to meet the needs of legal services employers and their teams, our programmes provide a route to qualification for paralegals, including former paralegal apprentices, and new or existing colleagues with some prior legal qualifications or experience.
Find out more about our Solicitor Apprenticeships.
Make an enquiry today to find out more about apprenticeships for SMEs
Additional resources and reading
So what is off-the-job training?
In this blog we hear from Krishan Parmar, Business Development Executive, who specialises in supporting apprenticeships for SMEs at Damar Training, with his insights into ‘off-the-job” training.
CLICK HERE to read the full blog.
Apprenticeships for SMEs
Did you know that every year’s intake of apprentices is expected to add £700m a year of value to the economy? And, with SMEs accounting for 61% of UK employment, apprenticeships for SMEs will play a critical role.
CLICK HERE to read the full blog.
Shining a spotlight on our recruitment team
In this blog we sit down and speak to our Recruitment Co-ordinators, Sabina Adam and Hannah Bennett, who outline the pivotal role they play with our partner employers and apprenticeships for SMEs.
CLICK HERE to read the full interview.