Hudson Contract joined the annual conference of the Cross-industry Construction Apprenticeship Task Force to discuss and debate ideas and initiatives to encourage more young people into the skilled trades.

Fiona Gamwell, our apprenticeship lead and a member of the government’s Apprenticeship Ambassador Network for Yorkshire and Humber, attended the event at Villa Park football ground in Birmingham alongside representatives from contractors, training organisations and clients.

Fiona has developed a detailed knowledge and understanding of the Apprenticeship Levy and how to transfer unused funds to help construction SMEs recruit new apprentices. Many levy payers are not aware that as a levy-paying employer, they can shift up to 25 per cent of their unused levy down the supply chain or to a different employer.

At the event, Fiona raised our research which shows the size of the opportunity for construction firms which can use transferred levy to access free funding for training.

In the year ending March 2022, £1.318 billion expired in unspent apprenticeship levy funds, according to a Freedom of Information request made by Hudson Contract. Only 4.5 per cent of employers used some or all of their transfer pot last year with the Treasury hoovering up the rest.

Fiona also operates Hudson Contract’s award-winning sponsorship scheme for apprentices in the family firm’s seaside hometown of Bridlington and neighbouring Scarborough. The scheme has successfully created training opportunities for 210 young people since it was launched in 2011.

To find out how your firm can access free funding for training, please get in touch with Fiona on 01262 401040.

Hudson Contract has launched a website to help employers and young people who are new to apprenticeships: click here