Co-op has set up a scheme to create over 600 apprenticeships in the early years sector

The c-store specialist, along with The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, has pledged to invest in early years apprenticeships.

The retailer has created the Co-op Levy Share scheme, enabling businesses to pledge up to 50% of their annual unspent apprenticeship levy funds, to support targeted provision of apprenticeships for underrepresented groups.

Co-op has committed to raise £5m over the next five years to support children under five, with a starting pledge of £1m from members of the Business Taskforce.

This will help fund more than 600 apprenticeships, which will train and develop the careers of individuals working with children and families across early years sectors in the UK.

The retailer said the UK has suffered from a significant shortage of health visitors and midwives, with many parents being forced to drop out of the workforce to look after their children. 

Co-op chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq said: “Whether we are parents or not, we will all have young children in our lives, and we will understand the importance of supporting them and also their parents through the early years.

“As the Case for Change report shows, supporting early years greatly benefits business.

“Our Co-op is a 5.5 million strong member-owned organisation with more than 56,000 colleagues. A quarter of our Co-op colleagues have caring responsibilities, which is one of the many reasons why we are absolutely committed to playing our part in the work of The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood.

“With the government’s pledge to create much needed physical capacity in the early years sector, it is great that through our levy initiative we can help attract more people into the sector, giving them the opportunity to consider an early years career and the correct training.

“We’re currently in talks with other taskforce members to see how they can contribute to provide further funding, but we’re also looking to other businesses not already involved in the taskforce to get involved and support the levy.”