Pathway College is presently gearing up to further enhance its support it offers to employers, following the Government’s announcement of an initiative to support up to 40,000 new Apprenticeships. In this regard Pathway recently appointed Hayley Swann who has considerable experience and knowledge of the recruitment and training industries as an Apprenticeships Manager. The Apprenticeships Grant for Employers (AGE 16-24) is for small-medium sized employers with less than 250 employees, and comprises a payment of £1,500 payable in two stages. It is set to be available to small firms in all industries and for Apprenticeships at all levels. The employer will receive the first payment for £750 once the apprentice reaches the 8 week point of their programme, and will receive the second payment for £750 once the individual has completed 12 months of their Apprenticeship Programme. The initiative is part of a wider £1 billion package of support to encourage small businesses to employ young people. Pathway offers support to employers in a free recruitment service which includes recruitment and also training of apprentices. The recruitment service alone can businesses valuable money in recruitment fees. Newly appointed Apprenticeship Manager of Pathway College, Hayley Swann said: “Apprenticeships are a great way for businesses to develop new talent and they are becoming more important day by day as a talent recruitment tool particularly for small-medium businesses. We are pleased that that the Government has released additional funding to support smaller businesses and we are actively looking to assist those interested in taking advantage of this opportunity. Pathway College is committed to delivering high quality Apprenticeships and work-based qualifications that will support companies in helping them achieve success now and in the future.” Businesses interested in enquiring about apprenticeship recruitment and training can contact Hayley Swann on 0121 707 0550 or e-mail info@pathwaygroup.co.uk