A WEEK-LONG drive to highlight the importance of apprenticeships to the North East’s economy starts today with business leaders calling on more firms to start schemes.
Events are taking place around the region to mark National Apprenticeships Week after figures revealed a big increase in the number of positions.
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills statistics show a 167% increase in the number of new apprenticeships started in the region in 2010/11 compared with 2006/07.
The rise – the largest of any region – was welcomed by the North East Chamber of Com- merce, whose chief executive James Ramsbotham said apprenticeships were vital for the skills base.
He said: “It’s great to see the North East performing so well in apprenticeships given the current challenging economic climate.
“More businesses than ever are seeing the benefit of recruiting through apprenticeships. However, the more businesses involved in the initiative the better.”
In Newcastle, the city council today launches its own week of action to encourage young people and private firms to sign up for apprenticeships.
Advisers from training organisations, together with staff from the council’s Youth Service and Connexions, will tour the city offering guidance to students, parents, guardians, and teachers.
Ray Malecki, of the council’s children’s services department, said: “We realise these are challenging times for young people seeking work, but significant numbers of apprenticeships do become available and these are proven programmes for helping individuals develop the skills that our economy needs.”
Northumberland firm SCA Hygiene Products UK is marking the week by appointing 13 new apprentices at its paper mill in Prudhoe.
The company has helped over 70 apprentices to train in either an operations or technical role since 2004, with the majority now employed on-site.
SCA’s operations trainer Ian Callender said: “We’re thrilled to be celebrating National Apprenticeship Week as, in an industry such as ours, it is vital that we continue to pass on our manufacturing knowledge to people who will help to take our company forward well into the future.”
Sue Price, from the Northern division of the National Apprenticeship Service, praised SCA for providing young people with “the tools to build a successful career for themselves” while developing their confidence and aspirations.
James Arkless from Blyth applied for an apprenticeship at the firm after studying at Blyth Community College.
The 18-year-old said: “I knew I wanted to do something ‘hands-on’ for a career and SCA’s apprenticeship programme has a great reputation so I thought it was the perfect fit.”
Clayton Jenkinson, 17, from Prudhoe, did work experience at the firm before applying.
He said: “After studying Electronics at GCSE level, I wanted to go into engineering or operations. The work experience I took part in really whet my appetite for this type of career.”
Last year, The Journal’s campaign to create 100 apprenticeships in 100 days resulted in an astonishing 1,355 positions being created.
