Town Topics with Ipswich Chamber of Commerce

IPSWICH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EDITORIAL: 19 FEBRUARY 2015

Our members recognise that a skilled workforce is fundamental to every successful business and recognise the importance of investing in skills and training, even when times are financially hard. This is essential if our town and the county is to compete nationally and internationally.

That is why it is great to see another exciting element of the Greater Ipswich City Deal introduced.

The Employer Training Incentive Pilot has recently been launched to encourage employers to invest more in increasing the skills levels of current workers and in new apprenticeships.

The scheme was developed and supported by a range of partners including Ipswich Building Society, Norfolk and Suffolk County Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership and the New Anglia Skills Board, as well as the local Chambers of Commerce.

The Employer Training Incentive Pilot, which has been partly supported by HM Government with Employer Ownership funding, provides a 25% return (rising to 30% for higher level training) against cash paid on additional training (to the maximum claim value of £1,000 per learner) to help Suffolk and Norfolk small and medium sized (SME) businesses grow.

Delivered by Suffolk Chamber of Commerce with support from Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, the pilot provides a ‘cash-back’ incentive payment to businesses purchasing training for their workforce.

The Employer Training Incentive Pilot is now available for businesses with under 250 employees in Suffolk and Norfolk. Giving employers 25% cash back (up to £1,000 per learner) on expenditure spent on training their workforce, eligible training must be non-mandatory and used to benefit the business.

This scheme will help to upskill the local workforce and will benefit both individuals and the businesses they work for.

More information about the pilot can be found in the Developing Skills section of the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce website: www.ipswichchamber.co.uk

Alternatively, contact the team on 01473 680600 or etip@suffolkchamber.co.uk

Dave Muller

Chair

Ipswich Chamber of Commerce