Co-op announces £70m plans to create thousands of apprenticeships

The retail giant said it was committed to establishing 7,000 apprenticeships by 2030.

The retail giant was making the commitment through its Levy Share scheme (Co-op/PA) (PA Media)

The Co-op has announced plans to create thousands of new apprenticeships in the next few years.

The retail giant gave details of a £70 million commitment through its Levy Share service to create 7,000 matched apprenticeships by 2030.

The scheme enables levy-paying employers to transfer unused apprenticeship levy funds to businesses, charities, and community organisations.

Since it was launched four years ago, the scheme has matched more than 3,800 apprenticeships, with two-thirds in the most deprived communities and a third in the care sector.

Claire Costello, chief people and inclusion officer at Co-op, said: “We launched Co-op Levy Share to unlock unused levy funds and turn waste into opportunity.

“Four years on, alongside our contributing partners, we’ve already channelled £40 million into thousands of life-changing apprenticeships, and today we’re going further, committing £70 million to create 7,000 apprenticeships by 2030.”

The Co-op called for socioeconomic background data for apprenticeships to be collected, warning that without it, the system risked leaving some groups behind.