The 5-9 March this year marks the 11th National Apprenticeship week, an important opportunity for us to encourage more people to take up apprenticeships. The theme of the week is Apprenticeships Work and as we showcase nationwide the many ways that apprenticeships work for employers, individuals and the wider economy, I hope you will join me by helping to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships in our own local community.
87% of employers are satisfied with apprenticeships and businesses like yours tell us that apprenticeships help to attract ambitious and dynamic new talent, improve their skills base, deliver improved productivity and encourage them to think ahead to the future of their business.
But there is more we can do and so we have set an ambitious target of delivering 3 million new apprenticeships by 2020, giving people the skills they need for the workplace of the future. As well as increasing the number of apprenticeship starts, we’re reforming the system to provide a greater number higher quality apprentices, ensuring that the apprenticeship route offers a viable alternative to university. Take up of higher-level apprenticeships in 2016-17 was up by nearly 35 per cent compared to 2015-16.
Whatever the size of your business, this week is an important opportunity to shout about how apprenticeships are delivering for you, to showcase the amazing work apprentices are doing right here in North Yorkshire, or to find out more about how you too could reap the benefits of hiring an apprentice in your business. By sharing your story on social media using #WorksForMe you’ll help to unlock opportunities for young people and other businesses.
The involvement of businesses is fundamental to ensuring that apprenticeships help to develop the skills our country needs, so I need your help. I want to hear from you about what further support you would like to see, and your thoughts and ideas about how we can together champion apprenticeships in North Yorkshire. Do, please, feel free to contact me directly on [email protected] to tell me about your experience of hiring an apprentice and how you are supporting National Apprenticeship week.
Robert Goodwill MP