A SPECIAL event to help employers tap into new grants when they take on teenage apprentices is to be held in Great Yarmouth next month.Employers could qualify for �2500 for every unemployed 16 and 17-year-old they sign up to train by March 31 after major Government investment in the National Apprenticeship Scheme.

A SPECIAL event to help employers tap into new grants when they take on teenage apprentices is to be held in Great Yarmouth next month.

Employers could qualify for �2500 for every unemployed 16 and 17-year-old they sign up to train by March 31 after major Government investment in the National Apprenticeship Scheme.

The grant is paid on top of training costs which are already met by the National Apprenticeship Scheme.

Great Yarmouth College is inviting employers to find out about the grant and how to access it at an event at its new �6m School of Construction and Manufacturing Technologies building on Wednesday, February 3.

The college is interested in working with small and medium-sized employers looking to take on an apprentice for the first time or companies who recently, due to the recession, have been unable to.

The event will be staged during National Apprenticeships Week - a week of events across the country to, raise the profile of apprenticeships among employers, young people and their parents.

A range of speakers from industry will be there to share their experiences of the benefits of apprenticeships.

The college runs a wide portfolio of courses with employers across the region and spent many years building strong relationships with a wide range of industries.

It is currently looking for more employers to sign up for the scheme as well as new apprentices.

Head of centre for sales and marketing at the college Mark Bayley, said: “Of course we welcome this initiative by the Government to address the youth employment that has grown to an estimated almost 1 million 16-24 year olds nationally. There are a limited number of places available on the scheme and we would urge any employer thinking of taking on an unemployed 16-17 year old as an apprentice to contact us or come along to our Employer Event to find out more.”

To find out more about the event on February 3 and book a place email Sandy Shreeve at s.shreeve@gyc.ac.uk or call 01493 419250.