Apprenticeship Opportunities & Incentives (2026)

Future Proof Your Pharmacy

As the pharmacy sector evolves toward Independent Prescribing and prepares to play a central role in Neighbourhood care models, investing in your team has never been more critical.

To support you, Community Pharmacy Greater Manchester (CPGM), the Community Pharmacy Provider Board, and the GM Healthcare Academy have developed an exciting partnership with Skills4Pharmacy to help community pharmacies recruit and upskill staff.

With government funding making apprenticeships more financially attractive than at any point in the last decade, training is fully or majority funded for many apprentices, offering an unmatched opportunity to grow your workforce.

Key Roles You Can Access:

Skills4Pharmacy provides specialized training and recruitment for core pharmacy roles:

  • Pharmacy Services Assistant (Level 2): Includes dispensing and OTC training as standard; ideal for new starters or upskilling current staff.

  • Pharmacy Technician (Integrated Level 3): A GPhC-accredited route to becoming a registered Pharmacy Technician, covering medicines management and Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Technician (ACT) duties.

 

Funding & Financial Incentives

Financial support is structured to keep your costs as low as possible:

  • 100% Funded Training: For non-levy employers hiring apprentices aged 16–24, the government covers 100% of training costs (and 95% for those aged 25+).

  • Levy Transfers: Skills4Pharmacy partners with organisations offering levy transfer funding, which can make training available at no cost to non-levy employers and levy-payers who have used their funds.

  • Generous Hiring Grants:

    • Young Apprentice Payment: £1,000 for recruiting 16–18-year-olds (or 19–24-year-olds with an EHCP or care-leaver status).

    • Non-Levy Hiring Grant: £2,000 (available from October 2026) for non-levy employers hiring an additional apprentice aged 16–24.

    • Youth Jobs Grant: £3,000 for hiring 18–24-year-olds who have been seeking work or on Universal Credit for six months or more.

  • National Insurance Relief: Employers are exempt from the 15% NI contribution for apprentices under 25, saving an average of £3,000+ per year.

 

End-to-End Support at No Cost

You do not have to navigate this process alone:

  • Complimentary Recruitment: A dedicated team handles vacancy promotion, candidate screening, and interview coordination completely free of charge when Skills4Pharmacy delivers the training, sharing interview-ready candidate pools in just 3–5 working days.

  • Expert Funding Guidance: Funding specialists assist with maximising incentives, navigating apprenticeship service accounts, and securing Levy Transfers.

  • Dedicated Management: Account managers support you and your learner throughout the entire journey.

 

Get Started Today

Ready to take advantage of these opportunities? You can contact Skills4Pharmacy directly by phone at 0161 794 0528 or by email at info@skills4group.co.uk, and they can support you with advice and guidance tailored to your requirements.

Want to find out more? Be sure to attend the next CPGM Connect event in September to learn more about how these opportunities can transform your pharmacy practice!

You can read more in this briefing: Skills4Pharmacy and Greater Manchester Community Pharmacy