The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Charitable Trust Fund has launched the SMMT Apprentice Support Programme, designed to help safeguard the jobs of apprentices currently working within the automotive industry.
The scheme comes as the government-funded furlough scheme is poised to end in a month’s time, to be replaced by new measures to support short time working.
The SMMT Apprentice Support Programme earmarks £100,000 to cover all or part of the salaries of apprentices currently employed by small and medium-sized businesses within the UK automotive industry, but whose positions are at risk of redundancy due to Covid-19 related business pressures.
There are currently some 59,000 young people employed in apprenticeship positions across the sector,1 and they play a vital role in the future growth of businesses throughout the entire automotive supply chain.
Investing in skill retention helps secure a pipeline of top talent for the future, ensuring a line of succession and a return on investment for businesses that have already hired apprentices before the pandemic hit.
For an industry built on decades of innovation, developing a future generation of experts is crucial for the long-term growth and success of the sector.