Raise the employer incentive for employing an apprentice to £2,000, as it stands the current £1000 incentive split over 365 days equates to just over £19 a week.

The new government has set to increase the minimum wage for apprentices in April from £6.40 per hour to £7.55 per hour. We think this will make many employers unable to afford an apprentice. We feel there is no longer a credible incentive for an employer to invest in an apprentice, in turn some young people may find it very difficult, if not impossible in some sectors of employment and training to find an apprenticeship.