Skills for Care invites tenders for apprenticeship projects

News release 1 June 2011

Skills for Care is inviting tenders from employers across the sector for projects that promote and support adult social care apprenticeships.

In what is already a record year for the number of apprentices joining the sector, Skills for Care will work with employers committed to developing their work in one - or more - of seven areas:

• Intermediate level Apprenticeships
• Advanced level Apprenticeships
• Targeted work to provide infrastructure support for organisations wishing to employ/host apprentices
• Work with consortia and partnerships to create effective solutions to local skills gaps and shortages and challenges in the uptake of apprenticeships
• Recruit more 16-18 year olds into the social care sector
• Apprenticeship programmes to employers that are new to apprenticeships
• Innovative models to improve Apprenticeship completion and progression rates

The programme of work has been structured to support employers from all parts of the sector:

• Strand 1 Large/ National Employers
• Strand 2 Small and Medium sized employers - including Group Training and Apprenticeship Associations and social enterprises
• Strand 3 Micro employers
• Strand 4 Community and voluntary sector
• Strand 5 Local Authorities
• Strand 6 Progression opportunities for Young Apprentices

If you are interested in finding out more about the tender process and how to apply email claire.dunn@skillsforcare.org.uk or go to http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/tenders/Apprenticeship_projects.aspx

The deadline for submitting a completed Invitation to Tender and Specification is 3pm on Wednesday 22 June.