Castle Point MP supports National Apprenticeship Week
Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris has welcomed the Prime Minister’s vision for apprenticeships to become the new norm for young people. Mr Cameron is encouraging more young people either to go on and study at university or go out and get an apprenticeship. The Prime Minister’s views come as part of National Apprenticeship Week which is being held across the Country this week.
Across Castle Point, a total of 870 young people started apprenticeships in the academic year 2011-12. Another 230 people have started one in the first few months of this academic year alone and this number is likely to increase over the rest of the year.
Forecasts for apprenticeships completed over the next decade estimate that they could contribute productivity gains worth up to £3.4 billion a year to the economy.
As a member of the Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee in the House of Commons, Rebecca took part in an inquiry into apprenticeships last year looking at how the Government could encourage more people to take them up and break down the barriers prevented businesses from taking on apprentices.
Rebecca visited the King John School in Benfleet to see some of the facilities for training local apprentices first hand.
Speaking after the visit Rebecca said:
“As a member of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee my colleagues and I have been looking into ways that the Government can make it easier for people and businesses to benefit from apprenticeships.
National Apprenticeship week provides a great opportunity to celebrate the positive impact that apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy. The King John School and other local apprenticeship providers are doing fantastic work training first class local apprentices who would like nothing more than to get a placement with a local firm and contribute to our own local economy.
I would strongly urge any local business to look into taking on a modern apprentice as a very cost effective way to increase your business as well as giving a local young person a chance to learn and get on in life.”
Melanie McGauley, the Deputy Head Teacher in charge of apprenticeships at The King John School said:
“For the apprentice, there's nothing like getting firsthand experience and the employer benefits from offering a genuine opportunity for someone with fresh ideas. Apprenticeships provide routes into a variety of careers and offer the opportunity to earn, learn and achieve nationally recognised qualifications at the same time. We are successfully delivering apprenticeship programmes in Business Administration, Accountancy, Hair and Beauty. We are committed to the expansion of the programmes and are planning for our offer to include Legal Secretarial apprenticeships. We would like more employers to join us and urge them to contact The King John School if they would like to work with our young people.”
Business Administration apprentice at The King John School, Megan Davies, who also represented the school at a recent employers event said:
“It’s a completely different environment to college. I did not want to be in the classroom environment. Its opened my eyes with regards to working life and has inspired me to do well”.