Consumer delivery company Evri (formerly Hermes) has pledged over £150,000 (US$180,200) of its apprenticeship levy funds to help support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
This move is intended to enable other companies to take on new apprentices or upskill existing ones, providing a boost for SMEs as they experience rising costs. This follows the £200,000 (US$240,520) pledge the business made in 2021, which supported over 19 employers and 23 learners including dental nurses, adult care workers and assistant accountants. To help identify suitable companies and ensure the funds are being spent efficiently, helping those that will benefit most, Evri is working with West Midlands Combined Authority and apprenticeship provider Total People. In addition, businesses can see any pledges on a public website and apply for funding to pay for 100% of their apprenticeship training and assessment costs (up to the funding band maximum).
Martijn de Lange, CEO at Evri UK, said, “At Evri, we are fortunate to already have strong apprenticeship and training schemes in place, so we have taken the decision to gift some of our levy to SMEs that will benefit from it. The last few years have presented many challenges for all businesses, but particularly SMEs, so we’re proud to be able to support them in training their future workforces and providing their employees with increased lifelong earning potential.”
