Steve Bradley, the LibDem candidate to succeed Don Foster as MP for Bath when he retires in May, is calling on local business to help make 2015 a record year for apprentices in Bath.
Earlier this month the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, LibDem MP Vince Cable, visited Bath to celebrate the news that almost 1,800 apprenticeships have been created in the city since 2010.
This is part of the government’s pledge to create 2 million apprenticeships nationwide, which has now been delivered.
Now Steve is leading the drive for even more apprenticeships to be created in Bath, by encouraging local businesses to help make 2015 The Year of the Apprentice.
He is working closely with City of Bath College, which is the main apprenticeship provider locally, and has met a number of apprentices there to learn about their experiences.
Steve said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic option for many young people who want to go straight into employment instead of to University.
“By combining practical learning at College alongside hands-on experience with a local business, they help equip our young people with real skills to give their careers a head start.
“And the employers involved get an enthusiastic new recruit who they can train to meet the precise needs of their business.
“Thanks in part to the apprenticeships drive by the LibDems in government, City of Bath College increased its apprentice number by 17% last year.
“Working with them and local employers, I want us to deliver more opportunities for our young people in 2015 by making it Bath’s Year of the Apprentice.”
Steve is launching a dedicated website early in the New Year to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for employers and would-be apprentices – with information on the government grants available, case studies and news about apprentices and how to become one.
Matt Atkinson, Principal of City of Bath College, said: “I am delighted that apprenticeships are being championed locally. Apprenticeships are one of the major ways City of Bath College supports local and regional employers to address the skills needs of their businesses.
“Through our Services to Business team we are able to provide a high level of business to support and help employers attract candidates and to provide the training and qualifications that the business and the apprentice needs.
“City of Bath College is the largest provider of apprenticeships locally and our success rates are some of the best in the country.”
If you are an employer or a young person looking to find out more about the opportunities provided by apprenticeships you can contact Steve via [email protected] or visit his website: www.stevebradley.info.
