National Apprenticeship Week launches today with an event at London’s Shard that is designed to encourage more businesses to take on apprentices. The government says apprenticeships are at the heart of its drive to equip people with the skills that employers need to grow and compete.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: “I hope National Apprenticeship Week will inspire many more businesses across the country to commit to taking on an apprentice. Apprenticeships don’t just offer life changing opportunities to our young people; they also deliver for the bottom line. We are committed to 3million apprenticeships by 2020 because apprenticeships are good for Britain.”
Events taking place in the North on National Apprenticeship Week launch day include a visit to Nestlé in York today (Monday) by Nick Boles MP, Minister of State for Skills. Mr Boles will tour the KitKat factory where he will meet Karl Rean, food operations apprentice and Fran Igoe, engineering apprentice.
Nestlé York is one of the city’s biggest employers and has been offering apprenticeships for more than 55 years across areas including commercial and technical. There are currently 146 apprentices within the organisation with 25 based at the York factory and a further 17 within the head office at the same site.
Following the Nestlé visit Nick Boles will then visit York College to officially open its new £6million Construction & Skills Centre, located on the College’s Sim Balk Lane campus. Following this, the Minister will round off his tour of York with a visit to York Minster, where he will try stonemasonry under instruction from apprentices.
The Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb added: “Not only do apprenticeships offer a period of valuable work experience, but they can also kick-start a life of learning, and a chance for young people to reach their full potential.
“I want to see more employers recognising the value apprentices can bring to their businesses. By working together, we can help Wales’ young people into work and ensure they have the opportunities that we all believe they firmly deserve.”
Throughout the week, employers of all sizes will be coming together to showcase how apprenticeships help them to ‘rise to the top’ of their industry.
