West Yorkshire Police has received £219,000 of new funding from Asda to train eleven new Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), and 10 Emergency Contact Handlers as part of a drive to get more young people onto the career ladder in West Yorkshire.
Asda has already helped to place over 70 apprenticeships in organisations across the region, with more than half a million pounds being committed to the region’s Apprenticeship Levy Transfer fund since 2020.
As a large employer, Asda sets aside a percentage of its annual pay bill to fund new apprenticeships. Working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the region's Mayor, Tracy Brabin, a portion of this funding has now been spent to train the new PCSOs, with 10 new Emergency Contact (Call) Handlers also on the way.
Since the start of Levy Transfer, to date Asda has committed £3,849,145 to schemes across the country. Asda currently has 526 colleagues on an apprenticeship across every area of its business and every job level from hourly colleagues up to senior director level.
Asda’s Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer, Hayley Tatum, said: “Apprenticeships are vital in providing young people opportunities for growth, employment and to build new skills. We know the scale of pressure being felt in our public services and communities due to the cost-of-living crisis. That’s why Asda continues to do all we can to support our local communities not just as a supermarket, but as a large business and employer. We have the ability to make a real impact in the communities we serve and we are delighted with how our own apprenticeship scheme is progressing. We can’t wait to see the positive impacts this investment will have.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“Here in West Yorkshire, we’re bringing together businesses and training providers to ensure young people get the skills they need to succeed. I’m thrilled that our support is helping to bolster the region’s police force, as we work to build a safer, fairer West Yorkshire for all.”