DD1227 Apprenticeships Marketing Grant to Skills Funding Agency

In November 2013, the Mayor (via MD1282) approved the allocation of up to £1m Growing Places Fund investment to support a marketing campaign aimed at increasing the number of Apprenticeship opportunities in London. It was proposed that the £1m investment be used to support two distinct strands of activity:

1. A greater awareness campaign targeting SMEs on the range and quality of Apprenticeships.

2. An employer facing marketing campaign aimed at increasing the number of employers becoming a ‘qualified lead’ for Apprenticeships opportunities in London.

The GLA’s London Engagement Team, Economic and Business Policy Unit have worked with the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to assist the development of the Agency’s proposed campaign activities.

In May 2014, the Investment and Performance Board approved in principle a proposal to award £318,600 grant funding to the SFA to conduct an employer facing London marketing campaign activity from June 2014 to March 2015. This Decision seeks formal approval to award funding to the Agency for this purpose.

MD1282 records the Mayor’s approval of a provisional expenditure profile for the £1m investment but following GLA and Agency discussions around how both strands of activity would most effectively be delivered, the profile has been revised. Therefore this Director Decision paper also requests approval to formalise the revised expenditure profile.