BackgroundTo combat youth unemployment the European Union and its member states are using apprenticeships as a solution. Public money is being used to encourage employers to invest in young people as apprentices. For employers however, it is not a level playing field the barriers for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are significant and prevent them from taking on apprentices. In the UK less than 10% of SMEs will take on an apprentice compared to a third of large companies. Given that the consensus, amongst academic studies and labour market experts is that growth in employment will come from SMEs as they account for 98% of businesses in the UK, there is a danger that these business organisations will not engage with apprenticeships and public investment will not be as effective as it could be. Partners Gedling Borough Council (GBC) based in Nottingham (UK) was the lead partner for the project. Germany and Canada were ‘teachers’ and Bulgaria, Poland and the UK were ‘learners’ in this Key Action 2 project.UK - GBC Economic Growth Service Berlin - Research Institution for Further Education and Training (IBBF)Ottawa - Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF)Sofia - Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Poznan - Zespol Szkol Lacznosci Technical College Poznan (ZSL)UK - NGi Ltd Objectives The project sought to address what elements of SMEs support and training could be adopted to help eliminate barriers to engagement through good practice examples from Germany and Canada, two countries with a good track record at assisting SMEs to take on an apprentice, and import this into Bulgaria, Poland and the UK who wished to do better. The first six months of the project focused on the identification of the barriers SMEs experienced when engaging with apprenticeships in the five partner countries, these barriers where then compared and contrasted to identify similarities and differences. The outcome was irrespective of the differing context in apprenticeship delivery in each country barriers were relatively similar with 7 common barriers identified. The partnership used research results, examples of good practice along with a consultation exercise with SMEs, apprenticeship commissioners, training providers and wider stakeholders to develop training programmes and resources to remove the identified barriers for SMEs in each pilot programme delivery country. The aim was to create an easy to access one-stop-shop where even the smallest of enterprises have access to the knowledge and skills required to recruit an apprentice of their own and to build the capacity and capability of the pilot programme delivery teams.Targets By the end of the project we aimed to work with 270 SMEs to take on at least 1 apprentice for the first time, and a total of 360 young people will have completed or be on course to complete an apprenticeship. We wanted to see a significant increase in awareness among young people of the opportunities an apprenticeship will provide as the project aimed to engage with 30 secondary schools. Further, we wanted to see a significant increase in the understanding of SMEs about the benefits of having an apprentice. The project has achieved an expected impact within the regions that partners in Bulgaria, Poland and the UK operate, to deliver a significant increase in SME apprenticeship engagement. Finally the project was to host 3 dissemination events attracting a minimum of 300 stakeholders, with the aim that the projects transferable outputs would be adopted elsewhere.Results No. of SMEs Supported 2016-2017 Target Actual UK 45 56 Bul 45 45Pol 45 45Totals 135 1462017-18 Target Actual UK 45 42 Bulgaria 45 45Poland 45 55Totals 135 142Combined 288 No. of Apprenticeship Starts 2016-17 Target Actual UK 60 37Bul 60 60Po 60 91Totals 180 1882017-2018 Target Actual UK 60 50Bul 60 60Pol 60 106Totals 180 216Combined 404 Next Steps Project partners will continue to update and develop materials created during the term of the project to support SMEs to engage with apprenticeships and secure apprenticeship starts. Partners have signed a MoU setting out how they will continue to work together to disseminate results and explore sustainability opportunities.