More than half of UK small and medium-sized enterprises have axed plans to take on apprentices because of the cost-of-living crisis, according to new research unveiled today by Vodafone Business. Vodafone Business polled over 1,000 SME business leaders across the UK and found of the 60% of firms who have taken on apprentices in the past, a worrying 51% had axed their schemes because of soaring business costs including energy and transport.
The findings have been announced as Vodafone Business today launches a partnership with Multiverse, using funds from Vodafone’s Apprenticeship Levy, to upskill UK SME employees.
Vodafone Business will provide small businesses with £18,000 each to upskill existing employees via a pilot partnership with Multiverse.
Nick Gliddon, Business Director, Vodafone UK said: “Our research shows just how much support is required from both big businesses and Government to ensure that SMEs can take on apprentices or offer up-skilling programmes to existing staff. With SMEs making up 99.9% of all businesses, they are crucial to our economy and have an important role to play in providing the UK workforce with viable opportunities, training and skills.
“SMEs are often forgotten when discussions about apprenticeships take place and barriers, like costs and time, make it harder for them. At Vodafone Business our focus is to make life easier for businesses, so we have launched a new scheme in partnership with Multiverse for SMEs to fund their apprenticeship programmes. This will help people of all ages and backgrounds have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills.”
Jeremy Duggan, President of Multiverse said: “Ensuring the right digital skills are in place is essential for any business, and apprenticeships schemes are simply the best way to deliver these through applied, on-the-job learning. As SMEs reckon with market forces, Vodafone’s donation will enable small businesses to invest in their people, develop to their full potential and unlock growth, through the creation of these apprenticeship programmes.”
To find out more about this programme and apply for your business register here before February 14, 2023.
