Welsh Skills and Science Minister Julie James has now launched the Welsh Government’s new Apprenticeship policy, which aims to align apprenticeships with the needs of the Welsh Economy within the context of the UK-wide Apprenticeship Levy.

The policy sets out how the Welsh Government intends to support the delivery of its commitment to creating a minimum of 100,000 high quality apprentices in Wales over this Assembly term by focussing on four priority areas:

• increasing the number of apprentices aged 16-19 by increasing the take-up of quality apprenticeships amongst school leavers
• addressing skills shortages by developing apprenticeships particularly in growth and emerging sectors such as the ICT, Engineering, Construction and Financial and Professional Services
• developing higher level skills by focussing on apprenticeships at level 4 and above where returns tend to be higher
• developing skills pathways by integrating apprenticeships into the wider education system and making it easier for someone to enter into an apprenticeship from another learning route

Alongside this, the Government has published a factsheet offering guidance to Welsh businesses on how the Apprenticeship Levy will affect them. While the Levy will be collected by HMRC via PAYE and is therefore relevant to organisations on a UK-wide basis, the returning of those funds is classed as skills spending, which is a devolved matter.

For more information on the Apprenticeship Levy and how it will affect your organisation, see the relevant Charity Tax Map page here.