As we’ve headed into this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, society finds itself in a very different place.
Since 2014, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed hosting a yearly ‘Jobs, Skills and Apprenticeships Fair’ in our constituency to showcase some of the fantastic opportunities which exist throughout Morley and Outwood.
However, with public health measures currently in place and many sectors and industries remaining closed because of the pandemic, I have been unable to host this annual event. As the nature of work and industry adapts to new and unforeseen challenges, never has it been more important to emphasise the range of benefits that apprenticeships can bring; for prospective apprentices and employers alike.
The ability to learn on the job, pick up practical skills, and to achieve a qualification is a huge draw for thousands of school leavers who are soon to enter our local workforce. From manufacturing to media management, electrical engineering to education, sports coaching to social care; there are apprenticeships to suit every career path and every skillset.
Like many others within our constituency, I recruited an apprentice, Brandon, to join my local team. During his time with me he worked on a number of items, building on skills in a wide range of areas:
“Working for Andrea gave me the opportunity to build in-work skills over a large array of fields such as writing, media, and event management. Being an apprentice also enhanced my academic life, improving my work ethic and problem-solving acumen.
“I would highly recommend school leavers to look towards apprenticeships with the number of skills that can be learnt, and the number of opportunities that they can provide in the future”
The comments provided by Brandon, are supported by some of the most recent stats which highlight the inroads that have been made and how popular apprenticeships are. Over the last decade some 4.2 million apprenticeships were started, with over 2.2 million apprenticeship achievements earned. I have been pleased to continue to support this effort, and am so thankful to both local industry and educational providers who continue to increase the local apprenticeship offering.
If you are looking for further information about apprenticeships, either as a prospective apprentice or as a prospective employer, be sure to visit: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
