Department of Economic Development. Vocational Training Financial Support Scheme Guidance Document. Updated December 2014

Transcription

1 Department f Ecnmic Develpment Vcatinal Training Financial Supprt Scheme Guidance Dcument Updated December 2014 Cntents: 1. Purpse f the Dcument 2 2. Intrductin 2 3. Eligibility 3 4. Financial Assistance 3 5. Making an Applicatin 4 6. Determining an Applicatin 4 7. Scpe f the Scheme 5 8. Claiming yur ffer f assistance 5 9. What level f assistance can DED prvide? What if I m nt satisfied with the decisin? Appendix A 8 Page 1 f 9

2 1. Purpse f this Dcument This dcument summarises the plicy fr prviding financial assistance by the Department f Ecnmic Develpment (DED) thrugh its Vcatinal Training Financial Supprt Scheme (VTFSS). This guidance is t assist ptential applicants in understanding the criteria used t evaluate applicatins. It is imprtant t emphasise that this dcument prvides general guidance nly. The scheme is discretinary therefre the decisin whether t prvide financial assistance fr a specific applicatin will be judged n its merits and is at DED s discretin. Please nte: Applicatins must be submitted prir t the cmmencement f training. Retrspective applicatins will nt be accepted under any circumstances. 2. Intrductin The principal bjective f DED is the cntinued grwth and diversificatin f the Isle f Man ecnmy, creating apprpriate emplyment pprtunities fr all. This is cnsistent with Gvernment s verall ecnmic strategy. T achieve this bjective DED seeks t: Stimulate grwth in specific sectrs by supprting grwth in existing lcal businesses and attracting new businesses which fit with Gvernment s Ecnmic Strategy f attracting and develping high value adding, well remunerated, ecnmic activity. Target new sectrs where a specific pprtunity has been identified t generate new business and increase the level f exprts (physical and services) frm the Island. DED is particularly keen t pursue new businesses invlved in new and/r rapidly develping high-grwth sectrs. Stimulate imprved verall ecnmic perfrmance by:- Helping individuals imprve their skills and prductivity and thus rganisatins imprve their capabilities and perfrmance thrugh supprt fr funding f vcatinal training and small business start up assistance. Helping businesses t imprve their effectiveness and efficiency thrugh supprt fr funding f initiatives that are relevant t all, such as energy efficiency, effective waste management and quality standards. Maintaining an ecnmic envirnment that supprts the needs f emplyers, emplyees, ther stakehlders and the envirnment, thrugh an effective emplyment framewrk (including emplyment law, minimum wage, wrk permits, Jb Centre, supprt fr peple with disabilities) and the Isle f Man s energy plicy. Helping unemplyed individuals t develp skills which are likely t increase their prspects f finding suitable and sustained emplyment. Page 2 f 9

3 3. Eligibility The scheme is pen t: Individuals wrking in the private r third sectr wh are either defined as Isle f Man Wrkers, r wh are in pssessin f a valid wrk permit, in accrdance with current Cntrl f Emplyment legislatin. Businesses, cmpanies, sle traders r ther rganisatins perating within the private r third sectrs, wh bth maintain a registered ffice and prvide direct emplyment within the Isle f Man. 4. Financial Assistance In accrdance with Gvernment Plicy the principal purpse f prviding financial assistance under the VTFSS is t develp the skills f the Island s wrkfrce in rder t stimulate wider ecnmic benefits (revenues, jbs, prfits, expenditure in the lcal ecnmy) and assciated fiscal benefits (direct and indirect taxes) which are far in excess f the cst f the supprt prvided. DED s Vcatinal Training Financial Supprt Scheme is discretinary and can prvide financial assistance t bth businesses and individuals wishing t undertake training which is in accrdance with DED s bjectives and will: Imprve an individual s likelihd f gaining emplyment Imprve an individual s skills and effectiveness within the wrkplace Benefit the emplyer thrugh increased prductivity Benefit the emplyer by expanding the range f prducts and services ffered Benefit the emplyer by increasing revenue t the cmpany Prvide skills fr new and emerging sectrs Supprt fr individuals may include: Jb Search assistance, CV s, Applicatins, Interview Techniques IT Skills Scial Skills Basic/Functinal Skills Specific skills based training Supprt fr emplyers and/r individuals may include: Advanced Skills training Leadership / Management training Prfessinal Qualificatins Crss r Multi-Skilling As the primary bjective f DED is t supprt the grwth and diversificatin f the Isle f Man ecnmy, supprt will be directed t the training which is cnsidered t be f greatest impact and will favur thse ccupatins and sectrs which are likely t generate the greatest return n investment. Applicatins will bradly fall int ne f the fllwing categries: Apprentice/Trainee Prgrammes Shrt curses / Vcatinal training fr thse in emplyment Training/re-training fr the unemplyed Wrk Experience Placements Page 3 f 9

4 5. Making an Applicatin Applicatin frms are available frm the DED website: Alternatively, yu may call Training Services n , r visit the Jb Centre, Prspect Hill, Duglas. Yu shuld cmplete the applicatin frm as fully as pssible, prviding all f the requested infrmatin. Please use either Sectin 1 (if yu are an emplyer making the applicatin) r Sectin 2 (fr individuals) and nte that this determines wh will receive payment at the cnclusin f the training. Applicatins which are missing infrmatin such as Date f Birth, Natinal Insurance Number, Curse Start Date and Curse Csts will be returned pending further infrmatin. Supplementary infrmatin relating t the intended training activity shuld als be included, tgether with the direct training and assciated csts (travel and accmmdatin if ff Island). Emplyers wh are VAT registered shuld shw all csts excluding VAT. The applicatin frm als prvides an pprtunity fr the applicant t utline the anticipated benefits f cmpleting the training. As applicatins are cnsidered n individual merits, it is strngly recmmended that all applicants pay careful cnsideratin t this part f the applicatin. 6. Determining an Applicatin Once an applicatin has been received it will be frmally evaluated. Additinal infrmatin and/r clarificatin f certain pints may be requested during this prcess. A meeting may als be requested t discuss the applicatin in further detail. Evaluatin f the applicatin will include cnsideratin f the fllwing factrs: The anticipated benefit t the individual The anticipated benefit t the emplyer The anticipated benefit t the Isle f Man ecnmy Additinally, when cnsidering applicatins made by emplyers, the DED will take a view n whether the prpsed training activity is ver and abve what a reasnable emplyer shuld prvide. Funding will nt rdinarily be available fr individuals wh are required t undertake certain aspects f training as part f Cntinuing Prfessinal Develpment (CPD) in rder t maintain their current accreditatins r prfessinal affiliatins. The Department will als cnsider the emplyment status f the applicant(s) in relatin t the relevant Cntrl f Emplyment legislatin in frce at the time f applicatin. DED aims t prcess all fully cmpleted applicatins within 10 wrking days. If we need t request additinal infrmatin r make further detailed enquiries, this may delay the decisin. Applicants will receive written ntificatin f ur decisin. This will either cnstitute a frmal ffer f assistance, which requires acceptance by the applicant, r a letter f refusal which will utline ur reasns fr nt supprting the applicatin. Page 4 f 9

5 7. Scpe f the Scheme Whilst DED will cnsider each applicatin based n its individual merits, in rder t assist ptential applicants, this sectin attempts t utline certain applicatins which fall utside f the scpe f the scheme: Applicatins which WILL NOT attract financial assistance include: Thse relating t training which is nt prvided t a recgnised and/r accredited standard Thse relating t any frm f in-huse training Thse relating t Inductin, r basic entry level, rganisatin specific training Thse relating t First Aid training Thse relating t attendance at cnferences, seminars, trade shws r exhibitins Thse relating t training prvided ff-island, where such training is available lcally and is deemed t be f similar cntent, quality and available in a timely manner Thse relating t any training where there is little perceived ecnmic benefit Applicatins which are UNLIKELY t attract financial assistance include: Thse relating t training which is belw level 2 (r equivalent) n the Qualificatins and Credit Framewrk (QCF) Thse relating t training which is cnsidered t be predminantly academic in its nature, r abve level 5 (r equivalent) n the QCF In additin specific skills training, up t Level 2 (r equivalent) n the QCF, in the fllwing areas will nly be supprted thrugh a frmalised Apprenticeship rute: Hair and Beauty Health and Fitness Cnstructin Craft Skills Mtr Vehicle Mechanics Ntwithstanding the infrmatin abve, DED reserves the right t use full discretin in cases where there is a clear, demnstrable ecnmic benefit t prviding financial supprt. Further details n the QCF and levels f qualificatin can be fund by fllwing the link belw: 8. Claiming yur Offer f Assistance Once yu have an ffer f supprt frm DED, which yu have subsequently accepted, yu will need t cmplete the claim prcess at the culminatin f yur training activity. Yu will be required t prvide evidence f expenditure, in the frm f receipts / receipted invices and evidence f attendance / certificatin. Failure t prvide satisfactry evidence f cmpletin and/r evidence f csts incurred may result in reduced r nn payment. Financial assistance is ffered n the cnditin f successful cmpletin f the training activity. This means that where the activity is certificated, yu will need t demnstrate successful cmpletin and/r the award f the relevant certificate in rder t claim the assistance. Page 5 f 9

6 Once yu have submitted all f yur supprting dcumentatin DED will prcess yur claim and arrange fr payment by bank transfer. DED aims t make payments within 15 wrking days. Where actual csts are less than estimated in the applicatin, DED will reduce the amunt f assistance paid in prprtin with the reduced csts. If yu d nt attend r successfully cmplete yur training activity, fr whatever reasn, yu will nt be eligible t prceed with yur claim. DED will cnsider requests t transfer the ffer nt an identical training activity n a different date, but reserves the right t alter r withdraw the ffer entirely. All claims must be submitted within 6 mnths f the cmpletin f the training activity, as utlined in the riginal applicatin. Applicatins which are nt cmpleted within this timescale, where DED have nt been ntified in writing f prpsed changes, will autmatically becme vid. 9. What level f assistance can DED prvide? Funding ffered by the Department varies dependent n the nature f the individual applicatin. An indicatin f the type f supprt that may be available is belw: Apprentice/Trainee Prgrammes Prgrammes must be apprved by the Department t qualify Attract the highest level f supprt frm the Department Supprt wuld nrmally cver the full csts assciated with training Value fr Mney limits may apply t assciated csts (Travel etc) Additinal payments directly t Emplyers may be available Shrt curses / Vcatinal training fr thse in emplyment Supprt prvided n a shared cst basis Training f greater ecnmic benefit will attract mre supprt Maximum level f supprt is 50% Annual limits apply per emplyee Value fr Mney limits may apply t assciated csts (Travel etc) DED may prcure certain training and prvide access t shrt curses Training/re-training fr the unemplyed Supprt can include direct jb caching / basic skills training Access t a brad range f training ptins Ability t participate in training wrk placements A weekly training allwance may be available Supprt may cver the full csts assciated with training Value fr Mney limits may apply t assciated csts (Travel etc) Wrk Experience Placements Temprary Wrk Experience Placements are nw ffered by the Department thrugh a separate scheme. Individuals and businesses wh are interested in this scheme and wuld like mre details shuld cntact the Training Services team n r [email protected] Page 6 f 9

7 Appendix A at the end f this guidance sets ut hw financial assistance may be granted dependent n the ecnmic sectr mst relevant t the applicatin. Fr emplyers wh are VAT registered, ffers will be calculated and paid net f VAT. 10. What if I am nt satisfied with the decisin? If yur applicatin was rejected, r if yu received an ffer f assistance which yu are nt prepared t accept, yu may request a review f the decisin. Yu must request a review within 10 wrking days f receiving the decisin, by writing t the Emplyment and Skills Grup Manager, Department f Ecnmic Develpment, Nivisn Huse, Prspect Hill, Duglas, Isle f Man, IM1 1ET. Yur letter shuld clearly set ut the reasns fr requesting a review and yu shuld include any additinal infrmatin which yu feel will help t justify yur request. The utcme f the review is final. Page 7 f 9

8 Appendix A Assistance by Sectr With the exceptin f frmal Apprentice / Trainee prgrammes and training fr thse wh are currently Unemplyed, shuld yur applicatin be successful, financial assistance will be ffered n the basis f prviding a higher level f supprt t sectrs which have the greatest impact n the Islands ecnmy. Primary Sectrs Banking Captive insurance Fiduciary Asset Management Life Insurance Manufacturing General, Engineering, Fd & Drink Turism ICT/e-Business Space Film Shipping Management Aviatin Management 40% - 50% Annual Limit 2000 Secndary Sectrs Accunting Legal Cnstructin Agriculture & Fishing Leisure (Catering & Entertainment) Utilities Transprt Medical & Health Educatin Retail 30% - 40% Annual Limit 1500 All ther ccupatins - 20% - 25% Annual Limit 1000 Nte: These lists are indicative and cnsideratin will be given t all applicatins regardless f sectr Page 8 f 9

9 Assistance fr Travel, Accmmdatin, Subsistence & Other csts: Where ff Island training is apprved, assistance may be available twards the csts f Travel and Accmmdatin. Assistance will be calculated in line with the percentage f training csts ffered subject t the fllwing limits and exclusins: Off Island Travel: On Island Travel: Accmmdatin: 75 maximum Excluded 30 per night maximum Other csts: Subsistence: Wages: Study Materials etc: N assistance will be available twards the csts f meals, drinks etc N assistance will be available fr wages, r ther lss f earnings Assistance may be cnsidered and will be calculated in line with training csts. Page 9 f 9