The company has donated over £2 million in Apprenticeship Levy funds, impacting over 30 SMEs and community services across the UK.
Mitie, a key player in facilities management and professional services, has reached a significant milestone by donating over £2 million through its apprenticeship levy gifting programme.
How does the apprenticeship levy donation scheme work?
Currently, businesses in the UK with a payroll of £3 million or more contribute to apprenticeship training. If a business doesn’t spend that money investing in their own apprenticeships, then their money goes towards apprenticeship programmes in other industries.
Following recent changes, organisations can now share up to 50% of their unspent funds with other employers.
To date, this funding method means that Mitie has supported more than 30 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local services throughout the UK. Mitie claim that they are one of just 580 companies nationally who are investing unspent levy funds to support their local communities.
Fostering skills and community growth
The company is proactive in its approach, with over 1,200 employees participating in apprenticeships at any given time. Apprentices range from heat pump engineers and project managers to data technicians and business administrators.
By reallocating up to 50% of unused levy funds—previously capped at 25%—Mitie has amplified its impact.
One notable effort is Mitie’s partnership with a non-profit organisation that provides apprenticeships in the construction industry for people from disadvantaged backgrounds. With Mitie’s reallocated levy funds, this non-profit is now supporting 13 apprentices in acquiring essential trade skills.
Supporting diverse and inclusive opportunities
Mitie’s strategic collaborations include a £100,000 pledge to the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP) to advance women in STEM apprenticeships, striving to balance gender representation in these fields. Additionally, local fire services benefit from this scheme, with 26 firefighter apprentices trained since 2021, enhancing safety and preparedness in communities like Greater Manchester.
The programme also emphasises inclusivity, with recent projects aiding seven individuals facing disabilities or economic hardships to enter leadership roles.
A commitment to future talent
Kate Large, director of learning and development at Mitie, sums up the company’s ethos: “We focus our Levy gifting on helping groups with barriers to employment and supporting the local communities we serve.
“From training firefighters to welcoming women in STEM, the £2 million we’ve gifted is having a positive impact on developing future talent.”
