J D Wetherspoon has donated over £200,000 to home healthcare provider Cera, as part of the apprenticeship levy, to fund frontline healthcare apprenticeships.
The donation will fund almost 70 frontline staff, growing the health and care sector’s talent pool, with £100,000 worth of apprenticeships allocated following the donation.
The funds, guaranteed to Cera in December 2022, will cover the recruitment, training, and deploying of 68 adult care apprentices, including apprenticeship standards and an industry-recognised qualification.
Cera delivers services on behalf of over 100 local governments and 75% of NHS Integrated Care Systems, with the scale to make an impact in reducing pressures across the health service.
This is the first time that JDW has donated to Cera, with the potential for further investment in the future to fund more apprenticeships in care.
In choosing Cera to receive their apprenticeship levy, the pub chain aims to is recognise that care is a highly-skilled sector that requires the appropriate funding to train staff and provide excellent career development opportunities.
Annabel Nash, Chief People Officer at Cera, comments: “All of us at Cera are delighted to receive such significant investment from Wetherspoons as part of the Apprenticeship Levy. Being selected as the recipient for this generous donation is testament to Wetherspoons’ understanding of just how important funding is for the health and care sector. This sizeable donation will go a long way in growing the talent pool and attracting new recruits to a rewarding, lifelong career in care.”
