New EAfA factsheet highlights measures to support SMEs in offering apprenticeships

By offering apprenticeship programmes, SMEs can play a significant role in addressing the skills gaps and labour shortages prevalent across the European Union. Despite the benefits, SMEs often encounter obstacles that hinder their ability to offer apprenticeships effectively. This factsheet outlines several types of support, both financial and non-financial, specifically aimed at addressing these challenges, including: 

• Partnerships and training alliances: These collaborations can foster workplace innovation within SMEs and help address capacity or resource constraints. For example, creating a framework to share tutors within a specific sector or receiving support from larger companies in terms of administrative, regulatory, or training resources can be highly beneficial. Furthermore, initiatives focused on 'training the trainer' can significantly boost SMEs' training capacity. 
• Apprenticeship promotion and recruitment: Skills matching services and skills competitions for companies are some of the initiatives that can raise awareness about the importance and benefits of apprenticeships. These activities help increase the visibility of SMEs and the apprenticeship opportunities they offer, making them more attractive to job seekers and potential apprentices. 
• Financial support: Various forms of financial support available to SMEs, including grants to train in-company trainers and co-funding for inter-company apprenticeship programmes, are designed to encourage more SMEs to participate in offering apprenticeships. 

The document provides practical examples of how different stakeholders, such as larger companies, chambers of crafts and trades, and relevant public authorities, can support and enhance the apprenticeship opportunities provided by SMEs. This collaborative approach is key to ensuring the success and sustainability of apprenticeship programmes. Support for SMEs is also a criterion of the Council recommendation on the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships (EFQEA). 

This factsheet, available for download below, is an invaluable resource for understanding the comprehensive support structure available to enable SMEs to contribute more effectively to workforce development in the EU.