Yes To Apprenticeships
Posted by: Gratterpalm
Date added: Thu 14 Jul 2011
A campaign, managed by Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and its Apprenticeship training provider Skills Solutions, ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’ has brought together key individuals from across five business sectors including; Business/Finance, Automotive, Engineering/Manufacturing, Construction, and Hair Care, to champion the initiative.
Employers can employ an apprentice from as little as £5,000 per annum as part of the new Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA) initiative.
Standing on the steps of the Manchester Town Hall, Mark Howden (head of Regeneration, Balfour Beatty Capital), Bill Shepherd (vice president, BNY Mellon), Mark Smeeton (managing director, MotorSave Ltd - Swinton), Thor Rooney (manager and senior director, Nicky Clarke Manchester) and Nathan Bluer (Torkington Engineers), all cemented their support in helping to raise awareness of the benefits to businesses of taking on an apprentice and encourage business in Greater Manchester to expand its already positive response to Apprenticeship programmes.
Speaking about the campaign, Mark Howden from Balfour Beatty Capital, said: “More and more employers are saying yes to appointing an apprentice and we absolutely want to encourage this across the board, regardless of sector.
“An abundance of college and school leavers are looking for practical, training as an alternative to university. Apprenticeships play a vital role in helping businesses to attract, nurture and maintain this type of talent, so as a region it is only right that we are leading by example and embracing on-the-job training.
“Saying yes to taking on an apprentice is saying yes to trained staff, yes to the next generation of talent, yes to Government funding and yes to the future or your company and industry – so the question is, why wouldn’t businesses want to say yes?”
Heather Green, director of Apprenticeships at Skills Solutions, added: “Despite an increase in individuals signing up to take part in apprenticeship programmes across the region and a renewed interest in Apprenticeships from within the media, there is still sometimes a lack of awareness or understanding of what they can really offer.
“The reality is Apprenticeships offer businesses increased longevity of service, the ability to ‘home grow’ talent and the chance to immerse an individual in the ethos of a business from day one, which together are without question beneficial to any business whatever the sector.
“So, by bringing together this team of ‘champions’ we’re looking to spread the Apprenticeship message far and wide in the hope that this will empower those that have already said yes to taking on an apprentice, to encourage other organisations to make a commitment in considering offering Apprenticeships as a viable business option.”
Recent research, commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Service, showed that over 80 per cent of people are more likely to use a business if it offers Apprenticeships to young people. There is even some talk that public sector procurement might be geared towards these businesses in the future, offering even more reason to take this road than ever before.
Businesses that want to learn more about recruiting an apprentice through the ‘Yes to Apprenticeships’ programme please visit www.gmchamber.co.uk/yes.
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