Your Mentoring Matters – supporting SME apprenticeship mentoring schemes
We are giving employers the chance to take part in a pilot project designed to develop apprentices faster and more effectively through a robust in-house mentoring scheme. Boost employee retention and increase innovation through this opportunity to diversify your SME's workforce.
Express your interest
What is Your Mentoring Matters?
Enginuity is launching Your Mentoring Matters to support SMEs in empowering apprentices through effective mentoring. We are joining up with experienced employers to provide expert input into running an effective apprenticeship mentoring scheme.
We partnered with The Engineer in 2024 to investigate the issues the industry faces around apprenticeships. Our research showed that SMEs with the highest completion rates provided mentoring for their apprentices. Our SME Advisory Group, made up of employers from across the engineering and manufacturing sector, supported these findings.
Why invest in apprenticeship mentoring as an SME?
- Develops apprentices into productive employees faster
- Improves retention and loyalty
- Strengthens workplace culture
- Develops leadership skills in existing staff ‘mentors’
- Supports wellbeing and confidence of apprentices
- Enhances your reputation as an employer
- Aligns with government expectations and funding benefits.
Your Mentoring Matters - programme details
Schedule and time commitment
The course is made up of one full day’s in-person event accompanied by four, 90-minute online sessions, over three months from April to July.
Attendees will learn from our experts on what goes into setting up and running a successful apprenticeship mentoring program, from its design and implementation stages, to evaluation and continuous improvement.
"Apprenticeship schemes aren't just about learning a trade - they're about developing relationships and driving engagement. Your Mentoring Matters was designed to help employers make the most of that potential."
Claire Aspinall
Impact & Delivery Manager at Enginuity
Who should apply to take part?
The project is designed to support engineering or manufacturing SMEs with 250 or fewer employees. Our training is suitable for individuals who have responsibility for the development of apprentices within their organisation.
Places are available only to applicants whose organisations do not already have an effective apprentice mentoring scheme in place.
What are the costs of taking part?
Enginuity is providing full funding for the programme, including the cost of all training and resources access. There’s a grant funding payment of £1,000 to contribute towards the time and resource commitment involved in setting up or refining your own mentoring scheme. Full terms of this funding allocation will be set out within the application process.
How to apply for Your Mentoring Matters
To secure your place, complete the following steps by 13 March 2026:
- Complete the expression of interest form below.
- Sign and return the grant agreement which will be sent to you.
There are just 15 spaces available, which will be allocated to eligible employers on a first come, first served basis.
Following the deadline of applications for the first cohort, we’ll kick off the programme with an in-person event on Tuesday 14 April 2026 (location TBC).
Find out more - contact us
To learn more about the programme or to register your interest, please contact the programme lead, Claire Aspinall, via email at [email protected].
