Firms urged to ‘unlock’ funds for apprenticeships


Juliet Dennis


More travel firms should tap into the government’s apprenticeship levy to help attract and retain talent in the current market, according to accountancy firm Grant Thornton. The company, which has been


involved in developing apprenticeship courses, said widespread misperceptions about the levy and apprenticeships in general remained, five years on from its launch. Firms in England with wage bills


above £3 million a year contribute 0.5% of their pay bill to the levy to fund apprenticeship programmes, but all businesses are entitled to up to £15,000 a year for training purposes. Companies that do not pay into the


levy only have to foot the bill for 5% of the total cost of training offered under the scheme, with the government paying the remaining 95%. Businesses can apply for funds


to train staff at all levels, from a new starter to a managing director, with more than 600 accredited courses available, including at degree level. Grant Thornton partner Yvonne


Chappell, head of travel, tourism and leisure, said: “There is money there to be spent. It’s about unlocking the pot of money available to businesses to train their staff.”


Yvonne Chappell


Spain extends travel restrictions until mid-June


Spain has extended its current Covid travel restrictions for a further month until June 15. The rules, which were due to be


lifted this week, include a ban on unvaccinated arrivals aged 18 and over unless they can show proof of recovery from Covid-19 within six months of travel. The extension of the curbs


means unvaccinated children aged between 12 and 17 must show proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Under-12s are exempt from testing requirements. Elsewhere, Austria and Israel


She urged firms to capitalise


on this opportunity in the current market. “People have left the industry in droves so bringing people back to what is perceived to be a risky sector is difficult, while keeping people is also difficult,” she said, adding: “Funding is not just for apprentices, you can put middle management staff on a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.” Sue Ledgard, corporate account


manager in the talent solutions team at Grant Thornton, said offering apprenticeship training as part of a company’s benefits package was “a really big carrot” to attract new and retain existing staff.


EU removes mandate to wear masks on flights and in airports


The EU has lifted its aviation mask mandate, saying the wearing of masks is “no longer recommended” on European flights and in airports. Guidance was updated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, though rules may vary by airline and destination.


8 19 MAY 2022 “Many people want to work


their way up, upskill, or do a degree they never got the opportunity to do before,” she said, but added: “A lot of companies don’t use the levy. Between May 2020 and February 2021, £1.4 billion remained unspent.” Felicity Brown, Grant Thornton


associate director, supporting travel, tourism and leisure businesses, said low take-up was partly down to a lack of understanding. “Some don’t think they have a


need for it [apprenticeships] and don’t realise the real value you can get all the way through the workforce. Many feel apprenticeships are not very high-quality,” she said.


FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka


The FCDO has updated its advice for Sri Lanka and now advises against all but essential travel to the Indian Ocean destination. The warning was strengthened due to “ongoing political and economic instability”, with a state of emergency declared and an island-wide curfew in place following anti-government protests.


removed all their Covid entry restrictions, meaning international visitors can enter without needing to show proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test. Austria also eased its mask


mandate in some settings, though the requirement remains on public transport and in supermarkets. Vietnam and Myanmar also


eased curbs, with Vietnam dropping pre-arrival testing and Myanmar accepting e-visa applications after a two-year suspension.


Spain’s entry requirements


remain in place


Qatar aims for World Cup goal with new trade training website


Qatar Tourism is preparing to launch a new online trade training website and offer incentives including fam trip places as it targets growth on the back of the country’s hosting of the Fifa World Cup 2022 in November and December. The Qatar Specialist platform will feature basic and specialist modules and is due to be ready by June. It will replace the existing Tawash programme.


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