The Problem With How Most Businesses Fund Marketing Training

A junior team member is handling your social media. She has never been trained. She learns by trial and error, watching YouTube, and mimicking things she has seen other brands do. She is enthusiastic, she is trying her best — but she is operating without any framework, any measurement discipline, or any awareness of the wider channel strategy she is supposed to be part of.

Sound familiar?

Now here is the version most businesses do not know is possible. That same person — already on your payroll, already doing marketing work — could be enrolled on a fully accredited, largely government-funded marketing programme. She would continue in her role. She would bring new skills to work every single week. Fifteen months later, she would be a BCS-accredited, qualified marketer. And you would have paid, in most cases, a fraction of what a single training course costs.

This is not a niche workaround. This is the UK government's Apprenticeship Levy and co-investment system — and it is one of the most underused employer benefits in the country.

Who in Your Team Is Eligible for Funded Marketing Training?

The eligibility criteria are simpler than most employers expect. Your employee is likely eligible if they meet all of the following:

• They work in England and are employed by you for at least 30 hours per week
• Their role is — or is moving towards — a marketing-related function
• They do not already hold a qualification at the same or higher level in a similar marketing subject
• They have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme

That is it. Age does not matter. Tenure does not matter. Whether they came to you as a school leaver or have been on the team for a decade — the door is open.

What Does Funded Marketing Training Actually Look Like?

Funded marketing training through the apprenticeship system is not a weekend course or a stack of online modules your employee completes in their lunch break. It is a structured, 15-month professional development programme that runs alongside their normal job.

Here is how it works in practice:

Which NTG Programme Is Right for Your Employee?

NTG Training delivers three funded marketing programmes, covering entry-level marketers through to experienced managers. Here is a clear guide to help you match the right programme to the right person.

You can view the official Skills England standards for each programme here: Multi-Channel Marketer ST1031 · Content Creator ST0105 · Marketing Manager ST0278

How Is the Training Actually Funded?

There are two routes, depending on the size of your business. Both result in the vast majority of training costs being covered — not by you, but by the government.

The Retention Argument — Why This Is Also Your Best Recruitment Strategy

Marketing talent is hard to find and expensive to replace. The average cost of replacing a mid-level employee — when you factor in recruitment fees, lost productivity, and onboarding time — is estimated at six to nine months of that person's salary.

Employees who receive employer-funded professional development are measurably more likely to stay. They feel valued, they can see a future within the business, and the qualification they are working towards gives them a reason to be patient about career progression.

Beyond retention, there is the brand loyalty effect. When a business invests seriously in someone's development, that person becomes an advocate — internally and externally. They attract better candidates through word of mouth. They create a culture of learning that makes the team around them more effective.

Funded marketing training is not just a cost-saving measure. It is a talent strategy.

The Objections We Hear — And the Honest Answers

Most employers who have not yet explored funded marketing training have one of three concerns. Here is the truth about each of them.

"I can't spare the time — we're too busy."

The 20% off-the-job requirement is real, but it is scheduled around your business. NTG Training works with you to structure learning in a way that minimises operational disruption. Most employers report that the productivity gains from the programme quickly outweigh the time invested. Busy businesses often benefit most, because the new skills are deployed into real, high-pressure work immediately.

"My employee won't want to do more studying."

In our experience, the opposite is almost always true. Most employees who are told that their employer is going to fund a professional qualification — one that is nationally recognised and assessed by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT — respond with genuine enthusiasm. It is a tangible, valued investment in their future. The conversations to be careful about are the ones where the employee finds out about it second-hand, or where it is presented as an obligation rather than an opportunity.

"We're not big enough to do apprenticeships."

There is no minimum size requirement. NTG Training works with sole traders, micro businesses, SMEs, and large corporates. The funding rules apply equally regardless of headcount. If you have one employee who is doing marketing, they may well be eligible. Speak to Tina Lavery and she will confirm your eligibility in a single conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions