As part of Cardiff Capital Region’s Cluster Development and Growth Programme, Cardiff and Vale College is helping to stimulate the growth of small businesses with an innovative Recruit and Train programme that provides financial support and bespoke training advice.
The Recruit and Train programme is an employment incentive that offers £2,000 towards recruiting an additional member of staff plus tailored training advice and guidance. Jointly funded by Cardiff Capital Region and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, Recruit and Train offers any business in the region that meets certain criteria £2,000 per new employee plus expert guidance on training and development.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen and the Vale of Glamorgan can apply for up to five new appointments at £2,000 each, providing they are:
Cardiff and Vale College Deputy Principal, James Scorey said: "The SME Recruit and Train employment incentive provides an excellent incentive to support business growth across the Cardiff Capital Region. This support has made a significant impact, enabling SMEs to purchase new equipment for recruits, provide supplementary induction training, and offer competitive remuneration packages to attract and retain talent within the region.
“Investment in skills and training is key to supporting economic growth and productivity, and our SME community in Wales is at the heart of this."
Cardiff Capital Region Skills and Talent Manager, Rowena O’Sullivan said: “Joint investment by Cardiff Capital Region and the UK Government of the Recruit and Train Incentive, demonstrates a collaborative effort to support local businesses and drive economic growth.
“Our focus on supporting small businesses, particularly within our northern Valleys, is helping to stimulate the creation of new jobs, plus build skills and capability across net zero, advanced manufacturing and digital, aligning with our strategic priorities and growth of key sectors.”
Blaenau Gwent-based advanced manufacturing company and consultancy Apex Additive Manufacturing has hired five new members of the team using Recruit and Train, and hopes to further build its workforce so that it can increase production.
Apex Chief Executive Officer, Youssef Beshay said: "Recruit and Train was incredibly helpful and a pleasant surprise. From the start, I was eager to take on the challenge of developing our own talent, but finding people with the right experience in advanced manufacturing is extremely difficult.
"We've had great success, with our workforce now being 70% Welsh. The talent is there - it just requires employer investment to train new team members, and Recruit and Train proved to be an excellent fit for that."
LunarWP was set up in Cardiff to fill a gap in the market for WordPress support for companies that experience ongoing problems with their websites but have no-one to turn to.
Dominic Bonaker Founder and CEO, LunarWP said: “We saw the Recruit and Train incentive as a great option to support our recruitment efforts. This additional resource was invaluable as we grew from one full-time employee to six in the space of four months.
“We gained the support of the recruitment, plus the opportunity for further training for the new and current employees to level up their skills.
“The funding has already made a huge difference to us. It enabled us to hire quicker and grow faster as a result. Without the funds, we would have fewer employees and fewer customers.”
If you are a small to medium sized business looking to recruit new employees and meet the criteria set out above, you can register your interest in Recruit and Train here: https://cavcforbusiness.co.uk/en/recruit-and-train#Financial-support-and-training-advice-to-grow-your-small-business