Businesses in the motor industry could be in line to receive a share of £300,000 to help provide training opportunities for their employees.

Edge, the educational foundation, has created the Edge Employer Awards to highlight and reward employers who provide excellent training opportunities for young people.

The deadline for companies to apply is tomorrow.

A judging panel made up of local business leaders and young learners will decide which three organisations from each of the UK’s regions deserve to be rewarded for offering quality apprenticeships, excellent work placements and other practical-learning opportunities. These three organisations will then be entered into the national competition. Entries will be judged on cultures in which learning is valued and can flourish, achieving results and setting future ambitions.

The prize will be in the form of a grant to be invested in training opportunities for young people.

Despite the large prize fund, employers have so far seemed reluctant to enter, compared with last year. Andy Powell, chief executive at Edge said: "It only takes 10 minutes to apply and it literally could result in £50,000 for your organisation. It could be the best ten minutes you ever spend!"

  • To enter, organisations will need to demonstrate how they already offer excellent learning-by-doing and training opportunities and explain their ambitions for the future. Applications can be made online at www.edgeawards.co.uk or by calling the helpline on 0800 980 3343.