100 apprenticeships created a month - Farron
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has heralded the news that 300 apprenticeships have been created in Westmorland and Lonsdale in the last three months. Figures released today show that Tim's campaign to create more apprenticeships is working.
The statistics released by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills today show that we have now created 3,280 apprenticeships in our area since 2010.
This equates to 100 apprenticeship places being created every month. In Cumbria more generally 2,380 apprenticeships started between August and October 2014.
Tim has repeatedly thanked local businesses for hiring apprentices and he has urged even more businesses to keep investing in our local young people by looking at if they can offer an apprenticeship place.
Tim has said that today's positive figures are more proof that the campaign to boost apprenticeships is having a real impact.
These figures come on the back of the news that the Lib Dem-run county council local committee is investing in apprenticeships with a grant of £20,000 building on their work in previous years. They have also earmarked a further £10,000 to fund a new pilot project to provide traineeships or work experience for disadvantaged young people. The committee has so far invested a total of £75,000 in the scheme since 2012, providing support to 34 employers to take on 36 apprentices in South Lakeland.
South Lakeland District Council is contributing a further £5,000 to support the traineeship and apprenticeship schemes.
Tim said: "Over the last few years we have been working hard to support apprenticeships and boost them. These figures seem to show that the hard work has paid off!
"Since 2010 over 3,000 apprenticeship places have been created. This is a testament to local businesses who have backed local people and supported apprenticeships. I want them thank them for all they have done.
"Apprenticeships are incredibly important and I am urging businesses who haven't taken on apprentice so far to look at taking one on now. Businesses can earn a £1,500 grant plus other changes to National Insurance mean that there has never been a better time to take on an apprentice."