Employee Upskilling Fund for Antrim and Newtownabbey

Businesses have the opportunity to apply for a maximum grant of up to £10,000 to upskill their existing employees

The Antrim and Newtownabbey Labour Market Partnership is offering grants of up to £10,000 to help local micro, small, and medium‑sized businesses upskill existing employees and address skills shortages. 

Funded training must support staff progression into higher‑paid roles, creating new entry‑level opportunities for local residents, and be completed by 31 October 2026. 

Eligibility criteria 

Micro, small, and medium sized businesses can apply for this funding. 

Organisations that represent or support businesses can apply on behalf of a number of businesses. 

Additional criteria:

• Be based in the Borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey.
• Be struggling to recruit and retain staff, a clear explanation of a need for training in your organisation must be provided.
• Commit to upskilling existing employees (30% of upskilled participants) into new higher paid roles with a clear pathway for employment progression.
• Evidence must be provided through copies of a P11 or wage slips, including copies of certificates and qualifications.
• Support underemployed employees into appropriate level employment, in turn creating entry-level posts for unemployed residents.
• Commit to retaining supported employees for a minimum of 12 months.
• Be willing to participate in sector specific recruitment campaigns, career initiatives, PR initiatives and job fairs to encourage residents to access the sector.

Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously availed of this grant funding.

Find out more and apply for the Employee Upskilling Fund. 

First published 1 September 2025