An scheme to encourage small and medium-sized firms in and around Ipswich to invest in training has increased the maxium value of the grants on offer.

The Employer Training Incentive Pilot (ETIP), which was launched in April last year as part for the Greater Ipswich City Deal, has already paid out more than 2,000 grants, worth a total of more than £300,000 and releasing more than £1.2m of additional spending on training by employers.

Now, in a bid to support more Level 3 and 4 qualifications, which typically cost more and take longer to complete, the maximum grant per learner has been raised to £1,500 or 40% of the total cost.

Grants of up to 25% of the cost of Level 1 and 2 qualifications and non-accreditated training are also available.

Mick Biegel, ETIP manager at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, which is a member of the partnership behind the scheme, said: “The beauty of what we do is based not only on the grants we offer, but on the speed of turnaround in approving an application and our flexibility in allowing businesses to select their own preferred training provider.”

“We are all about keeping the hassle factor to a minimum. The grant application form is short and to the point, we will make a decision about any application within two working days and we will pay the grant to the business as soon as the training has been completed.

“We will consider most non-mandatory training courses, from non-accredited training to training between levels 1 to 4, as long as it can be shown to benefit the business and learner applying for the grant.”

ETIP grants are available to employers with up to 250 staff for the training of employees aged 19 and upwards.

Paul Winter, chief executive of Ipswich Building Society and chair of the Greater Ipswich City Deal board, added: “The increase in the grant levels available from the ETIP scheme will allow for even greater potential impact on the skill levels of local employees.

“It is great to see that the funding secured for the local area through the Greater Ipswich City Deal is continuing to have such a positive impact on both local businesses and their employees. It is one of many examples of the ways in which the City Deal has and is continuing to respond to the skills needs of individuals and our local economy.”