SELECT has teamed up with manufacturer Luceco Group to launch a new initiative that will deliver apprentice funding to small businesses across Scotland.
The Powering Potential programme will see three SELECT member firms receive £6,000 each to help support the cost of a first-year apprentice.
The move comes amid ongoing concerns about rising training costs, with a SELECT survey revealing high wages and low employer funding are the biggest obstacles to recruiting apprentices.
Powering Potential will provide grants to selected employers in the east, west and north of Scotland. The inaugural recipients of the funding are:
- East: V C Electrical, Gullane – supporting apprentice Reece Michie
- West: T Walsh Contracts Ltd, Ayr – supporting apprentice Thomas Shirkie
- North: A B Electrical Scotland Ltd, Aboyne – supporting apprentice Ritchie Pirie.
Sharon Miller, MD of SELECT, said, “We are extremely grateful to Luceco Group for helping us make this meaningful investment in the future of our sector. Employers continue to tell us that rising costs are making it increasingly difficult to recruit apprentices, particularly during the first year when they spend significant periods at college, so this partnership is a practical example of industry coming together to find solutions.
“However, while this funding will make a difference to these three SELECT members it is only a fraction of what is needed and is not a replacement for proper funding across the board. If Scotland is serious about addressing skills shortages and growing the workforce of the future, increased support for apprenticeships from government remains essential.”
Developed with support from the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), the Powering Potential recipients were chosen from SMEs and long-standing SELECT member firms who have a track record of recruiting and developing apprentices.
As well as receiving financial support, the apprentices will be invited to visit Luceco Group’s HQ in Telford, where they will gain insight into manufacturing, product development, and the wider electrical supply chain.
