Last modified on Mon 8 Feb 2021 15.00 EST
The Covid-19 pandemic has been brutal for many small businesses. But there is cause for optimism. A recent Goldman Sachs survey of 10,000 SMEs found that for every two businesses that had cut jobs, another had increased its number of employees. And 79% of entrepreneurs had identified new skills gaps which needed to be filled.
Apprenticeships could play a big part in helping this recovery, and new measures are already in place. Under chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Plan for Jobs, employers who hire an apprentice between 1 August 2020 and 31 March 2021 can claim a £2,000 incentive payment for any apprentices aged 16 to 24, and £1,500 for those aged 25 and over.