By Ellis Moore
A council scheme offering grants to local businesses who take on young apprentices has now supported more than 300 placements across Wigan Borough. And it could be a local young person you know who gets an opportunity next – or perhaps even the business you work for?
Wigan Council’s Future Apprentices for Business (FAB) scheme has now approved more than 300 grants since launching in February 2023, with more than 135 placements and almost £500,000 delivered to help employers invest in their business, reduce training costs, and boost recruitment numbers.
Leader of Wigan Council, Cllr David Molyneux MBE, said: “I’ve been a passionate supporter of apprenticeships for a long time because I know how important they can be to gain vital skills and experience, learn on the job, and get paid for it at the same time.
“I’m also aware of the huge benefits that apprentices can bring to employers in meeting their staffing needs and skills gaps, so I’m very proud of the work the council has done with our pioneering FAB scheme to support both our young people and local businesses.”
The FAB programme is open to all Wigan Borough businesses with fewer than 250 employees, with grants of £3,000 and £5,000 available to establish an apprenticeship for young people aged between 16 and 24.
One FAB-supported apprentice is Billy Halliwell, who joined the Rebuild with Hope Foundation in September 2024 as a Level 3 Digital Support Technician, via Wigan and Leigh College.
With Billy’s commitment and enthusiasm instrumental in delivering key projects at the charity, including a borough-wide data collection platform to improve service co-ordination, he was recognised for his hard work and academic marks by being crowned Apprentice of the Year at the 2025 Wigan Borough Business Awards.
Billy said: “Starting my apprenticeship with Rebuild with Hope, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Through hands-on experience, learning from mistakes, and support from those around me, I’ve grown a lot, both professionally and personally.”
Another local company which has taken advantage of the FAB scheme is AS Construction Services in Leigh, with 20-year-old Sebastian Roberts gaining full employment following a successful bricklaying apprenticeship.
The FAB scheme was a key factor in the business’ decision to recruit apprentices, owner Adam Sutcliffe admitted, with the grant helping to offset costs during college training periods and enabling them to take on more work.
“The grant has been a great incentive. It’s allowed us to grow while giving young people a chance to learn a trade. We’d definitely encourage other businesses to get involved,” Adam said.
Similarly, Cheryl Dalton emphasised that the FAB grant was instrumental in Playhouse Day Nursery’s decision to recruit apprentices, with Carrie Foster joining the team as a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprentice in September 2023, and Faith Pryle joining as a Level 3 Early Years Educator apprentice in November 2024.
Speaking of the FAB scheme, the owner of the Pemberton nursery, said: “As a small business owner, it is a great incentive to be able to offer apprenticeship opportunities to school leavers and provide them with experience and skills they would need to fulfil a job role.”
Other organisations that have recruited apprentices through the FAB scheme include Michelle Lilley Hairdressing in Winstanley, Helen Ferneyhough Associates and Elite Electrical in Wigan, Go Ben Travel in Ashton-in-Makerfield, and Castle Hill St Philip’s Primary School in Hindley.
Many young people have gone on to gain full-time employment following their FAB-backed apprenticeship, and the scheme’s success can also be seen in the number of organisations wanting to recruit further apprentices through the project and its talent pool.
The talent pool is designed to incentivise recruitment of priority groups including people leaving care, looked after children, those with special educational needs and disabilities, and young people currently not in education, employment or training.
If you run a local business and think an apprentice could work for you, or you know a young person aged 16-24 who might benefit, you can find out more and apply at the Future Apprentices for Business (FAB) grants programme page on the Wigan Council website, or call 01942 489190.