700 jobs to be created by Tees Valley Unlimited

A £7m grant from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund is being used to create 700 jobs in the Tees Valley area by 2015.

Skills Investment Scheme

Tees Valley Unlimited, one of the first Local Enterprise Partnerships to gain approval from the Government, has utilised the funding to launch the Tees Valley Jobs and Skills Investment Scheme.  The scheme will support Tees Valley businesses seeking to grow their workforce, fuelling areas such as advanced manufacturing, engineering, digital and creative, logistics and chemical processing as well as supporting various business sectors.

The scheme offers businesses a 12 month wage subsidy of up to 50% towards the cost of a new trainee, apprentice or graduate of any age.  There’s no limit to the number of people that a company can employ providing that the posts are additional and can be sustained for a minimum of two years.

Support for growth

Stephen Catchpole, Managing Director of Tees Valley Unlimited, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding – it’s set to have a huge impact on the business community within the Tees Valley.  It’s vital that we are able to support businesses in the area to ensure we can sustain and grow the economy and importantly continue to invest in the workforce.”

Laura Woods, Director of Academic Enterprise at Teesside University, said: “This scheme is directly helping businesses to grow and keeping talent in the Tees Valley.  We see it delivering enormous benefits for companies, graduates and apprentices alike. Creating the right opportunities for graduate employment is a major priority, so it’s excellent to see this initiative on track for real success.”

For more information, help or advice please contact Andrew Davison on 0191 211 7950.