CAMBRIDGE Regional College, which runs one of the leading apprenticeship schemes in the country, will administer payments to companies who take up the offer of employing a young apprentice through one of their programmes. Companies will receive a �2,500

CAMBRIDGE Regional College, which runs one of the leading apprenticeship schemes in the country, will administer payments to companies who take up the offer of employing a young apprentice through one of their programmes.

Companies will receive a �2,500 payment - �1,500 immediately and �1,000 after 12 weeks - when they employ a 16 or 17 year-old apprentice by creating a new opening. The cost of training will be fully met by the national Apprenticeship Programme.

Angela Hughes, who heads up the apprenticeship programme at Cambridge, said this was a great opportunity for employers who might have been hesitating about taking on young apprentices during the credit crunch.

"This new funding is aimed at providing another 500 apprenticeship places for 16 and 17 year-olds in the eastern region. We can offer apprenticeships in a wide range of fields, including construction, engineering, catering, hairdressing and plumbing, so there really is something for everyone.

"There will be no delay in employers receiving their grant; as an approved training provider we are responsible for processing payments to employers, who will receive two prompt payments - �1,500 when the young person starts their Apprenticeship programme and a further �1,000 after 12 weeks."

The grant, which is available immediately, is aimed particularly at small and medium sized employers who are interested in employing an apprentice for the first time, or who want to employ an additional apprentice over their traditional level of recruitment.

Nationally, the Government has committed �12.5million to the scheme to support an extra 5,000 young apprentices.

All funding needs to be committed before the end of March - no starts after the 31st March 2010 can be supported, which means the apprentice will need to be employed and registered by 31st March 2010. The minimum wage for an apprentice is �95 a week.

For more information see the Cambridge Regional College website

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Cambridge Regional College works with more than 400 local employers to offer training for people aged 16 to 24 and beyond. The college currently offers more than 40 apprenticeship courses, with more regularly added. Subjects include business administration, retail, childcare, catering, management, plumbing and vehicle maintenance.