Apprenticeship Week kicks off in Kirklees

With youth unemployment reaching record levels across the country, this year’s event could prove even more crucial in helping thousands of young people into sustainable work.

Apprenticeships have changed significantly since the old Youth Training Schemes of the Thatcher era, or the 180,000 apprenticeships created under the last Labour government.

Now, apprenticeships are seen as one of the best ways for young people to learn a trade that can provide for them during the rest of their working lives.

Whereas in the past, the schemes may have focused on trade skills and manual work, now there are a whole host of training schemes ranging from hairdressing to business administration.

Kirklees Council has said that there are ‘hundreds’ of local firms interested in taking on apprentices this year, providing a boost for beleaguered job seekers of every ilk.

To encourage further participation from business leaders in the district, the council is holding a breakfast event at the Galpharm Stadium on Tuesday from 8am-9.30am.

Coun Peter McBride, lead Cabinet member for regeneration and investment, said: “This event will help businesses find out more and hopefully consider creating apprenticeships within their own organisations.

“A further 250 local businesses have taken up apprenticeships and the Kirklees area has an ambition to be widely recognised as being at the forefront of good practice and delivery in apprenticeships.”

The aim of the breakfast event will be to drum up further support for the scheme.

In Dewsbury on Wednesday, a special market stall will be put up to provide information for both employers and apprentices.

Staff from the National Apprenticeship Service, West Yorkshire Learning Partnership and Jobcentre Plus will be on hand to offer help and advice.

A council spokeswoman added: “This event also aims to provide local market traders with access to the relevant organisations so that they can learn more about the apprenticeship frameworks and how they could work for them.”