AKG UK

25/09/2026

Ayden Sims, Country Manager & CEO of AKG UK, responds to the publication of the Keep Britain Working review:

The announcement of Britain’s first Workplace Health System is a welcome move towards ending fragmented support for people with health conditions and disabilities.

As a Connect to Work provider, we see how personalised support and inclusive workplaces can change lives. While we are not directly involved in this pilot, as a Vanguard employer we welcome the opportunity to help shape a system that brings employment, health and local services together.

We should also learn from the UK Government’s Fit for Work service. Despite helping many of those who used it, low referral numbers and limited awareness among SMEs meant take-up remained poor.

This time, employers and individuals need to know what support is available and be able to access it easily.

We need action now to help more people stay well, stay in work and build lasting careers.

Read the full report:
https://bit.ly/4yPjtY6

23/09/2026

From October 2026: another reason to consider an apprentice 💷

Eligible small and medium employers will be able to receive a £2,000 hiring payment when recruiting a NEW apprentice aged 16–24, subject to the eligibility rules.

The financial case for recruiting young people into Early Years is changing.

With NI savings and the Youth Jobs Grant available, growing your own workforce can be far more cost-effective than relying on expensive agency staff — while building a skilled, committed team for the future.

📩 If you're considering recruiting an apprentice, now is the time to start the conversation. Contact us to find out more

22/09/2026

AKG is pleased to be sponsoring Employment Related Services Association (ERSA)'s Employment Support for Good Work event alongside The Fedcap Group.

With employment support, devolution and youth opportunity high on the agenda, the panel will explore how government, local partners and providers can work together to tackle economic inactivity and create clearer routes into work for young people who are not in education, employment or training.

Our UK Country Manager Ayden Sims FIEP will bring a delivery perspective to the discussion, looking at what needs to be in place for devolution to work effectively in practice – from joining up employment support, skills and local services around the individual, to strong commissioning, provider partnerships and clear accountability for outcomes.

Ayden will be joined by:

• Andrew Western MP, Minister for Employment
• Susan Paterson, Executive Director, Fedcap Employment
• Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester (invited)

The discussion will be chaired by Sam Mercadante, Future Commissioning Policy and Public Affairs Lead at ERSA.

📅 Tuesday 29 September
⏰ 8:30am–10:30am
📍 DGA Lounge, Sodexo Live Lounge, M&S Bank Arena

We look forward to contributing to the discussion and sharing more from the event next week.

21/09/2026

Inclusive practice isn't an extra anymore — it's an expectation. Ofsted expects it. Parents expect it. Every child in your setting deserves it.

Our Level 3 Early Years Educator + Level 3 SEND programme develops practitioners who can do both: deliver outstanding Early Years practice, and support the needs of every child in their care.

For your nursery, that means:
✅ A qualified Early Years Educator
✅ Specialist SEND knowledge, built in from the start
✅ A team better equipped for inspection and for families

One apprenticeship. Two qualifications. A genuinely stronger hire.

📩 Want to find out how the programme could work for your nursery? Visit our website comment SEND below.

18/09/2026

The barriers people face on the journey to work rarely exist in isolation.

Health, confidence, skills, personal circumstances and access to the right opportunities can all play a part - which is why effective employment support needs to look at the whole person.

The latest Connect to Work figures show 25,000 people have started on the programme since April 2025, with 4,100 people who were out of work moving into employment.

In our latest article, we look beyond the numbers at what Connect to Work could mean for the future of personalised employment support, and why keeping the individual at the centre will be crucial as delivery grows.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4yMLAao

16/09/2026

Recruiting for your nursery isn't always the challenge you'd expect — sometimes it's finding the right person, not the right training.

𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗻𝗼𝘄.

Why does this matter?

Every candidate in our network is already prepared to hit the ground running. They come to you with:

👤 A genuine ambition to build a career in Early Years
🩹 Level 3 Paediatric First Aid already completed
🛡️ Level 1 Safeguarding already completed
🎓 Full support through their Early Years apprenticeship and level 3 SEND qualification, from day one

For nurseries, that means less time spent searching — and a faster route to a motivated, work-ready team member.

AKG has candidates available for interview.

📩 Are you recruiting for your nursery? Message us or comment CANDIDATES and a member of the team will be in touch.

14/09/2026

Eligible employers recruiting an 18–24-year-old who has been on Universal Credit for six months or more may be able to claim a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant.

It's part of a wider Government push, intended to support around 60,000 young people into work.
So here's a thought:

𝗔𝗞𝗚 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄.

Could one of them be eligible for the grant — and become your next Early Years apprentice?

📩 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺.

14/09/2026

A great candidate can easily be overlooked if the recruitment process doesn’t give them the chance to show what they can do.

Something as simple as a jargon-heavy job advert, an unnecessary qualification requirement or a high-pressure interview can create barriers for disabled and neurodivergent candidates.

The good news is that small, practical changes can make a real difference.

In our latest guide, we look at how employers can make recruitment more inclusive – from clearer job adverts and skills-based assessments to reasonable adjustments and more flexible interview formats.

Read the full guide: https://bit.ly/4r63LoN

11/09/2026

Could your nursery be paying more Employer NI than it needs to? 💷

If you employ eligible apprentices under 25, you may benefit from a 0% employer secondary National Insurance rate on earnings up to the Apprentice Upper Secondary Threshold.

For 2026/27, that’s up to £4,189 per month / £50,270 per year.

So, here’s a simple question for your payroll team:
👉 Are your eligible apprentices on the correct NI category?

It’s worth checking — because a small payroll check could mean real savings for your nursery.

10/09/2026

Looking to develop skills and strengthen your workforce in Buckinghamshire?

AKG Learning is delivering Skills for Work, providing eligible learners with access to fully funded training designed around real workplace and employer needs.

Courses cover Occupational Studies for the Workplace, Creating a Business Start-up, and Management Skills and Knowledge, helping employers develop their people, address skills gaps and support career progression, including self-employment.

Want to find out what Skills for Work could offer your organisation?

Find out more and speak to our friendly team: https://bit.ly/4r8fjrK

Gain skills and recognised qualifications with Skills for Work - Buckinghamshire, a fully funded adult learning programme from AKG Learning.