What Funding is Available For Apprentice's Employer?

I started my hair and beauty salon in late september 2008 and took on an apprentice who at the time was 18 though in March this year turned 19. She is a wonderful asset to my business and attends college 1 day every 2 weeks though I train her frequently in the salon. I was a lecturer for 20 years therefore am extremely familiar with the paperwork.

I do not receive any funding
a) for the business
b) for my apprentice though know of many other businesses that do.
I pay for eveything myself, could you advise as to whether there is any funding out there to help as I am struggling and at this rate will forecast closure in the near future?

(L.W, 4 May 2009)

Having taken on an apprentice in your salon and also working as a lecturer, you are obviously aware of the benefits an apprentice can bring to your business. Taking on an apprentice is a great way to introduce new skills and talent into your business. As you have seen, it gives you the opportunity to train a young person and teach them exactly how your salon works.

Unfortunately, it seems that you are not getting the support that you need. Having only opened your salon at the end of 2008, it is still very new and could do with all the funding and support available to you. It is great that you have been able to give your apprentice a good start in the industry but you also need to make sure that your business can survive. The economy is not doing well at the moment and the last thing you want is for this to leave you and your apprentice out of work.

There is funding available to you to help pay for the training of your apprentice. As she is only 6 months into her apprenticeship there is still a long way to go before she completes it and therefore plenty of time to seek funding. As she has now turned 19, this may be less but it is definitely worth looking in to. Contact the Learning and Skills council who is available for providing this funding. It varies between industries but they will be able to help you with it and make sure that you do not end up out of pocket for providing this opportunity.

It would also be a good idea to look at ways to help your struggling business and make sure that it does not fail before it has had a real chance to prove itself. Contact Business Link or your bank manager as there are a number of government initiatives that have been put in place to help small business such as yours form closure. Well done for taking on an apprentice but now it is time to seek more help for you and her.

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What Funding is Available For Apprentice's Employer?

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