MP thanks local businesses for taking on an apprentice
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has thanked local businesses for taking on an apprentice, after Cumbria County Council's local committee announced the first set of businesses who have joined the funded apprenticeship scheme. He has also called on businesses who have yet to take part to look at the scheme and see if they could employ an apprentice.
Last year the county council's Lib Dem-run local committee agreed a £60,000 fund for apprenticeships in the SouthLakes. The money is targeted at small and medium sized businesses, for young people not currently in employment or training. Small and medium sized businesses will be given up to £2,500 to support them in training an apprentice.
Funding has been approved for the following employers:
- Fuel Exhausts Ltd, Kendal - Manufacturing Apprentice
- Abbot Hall Hotel, Grange over Sands - Trainee Supervisor
- H&H Reeds Digital Print, Milnthorpe - 1 Apprentice Print Finisher, 1 Apprentice Admin Assistant
- Sedbergh Medical Centre, Sedbergh - Business Admin Apprentice
- SHC Lanaway Electrical Contractor, Kendal - Electrical Apprentice
- Steven Fabian Plumbing & Heating, Kirkby Lonsdale - Plumbing Apprentice
- Miller Waite Ltd, Ulverston - 1 IT Technician, 1 IT Helpdesk Technician - these last are both at £1,000 to top up the Government Apprenticeship grant
Figures released by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills show that 260 new apprenticeships were created in 2011/12. In total an extra 2,109 apprenticeships have been created in Cumbria since 2009. In Westmorland & Lonsdale the number of apprentices has risen by 96% since 2009, with 760 apprentices in work in 2011/12. In 2005 only 270 apprenticeship places were available in Westmorland and Lonsdale.
Tim commented: "Even though we have the lowest unemployment in England, we still must do more to support young people and help create well paid jobs in our community.
"I want to thank these businesses for getting involved in the scheme and every other business who has taken on an apprentice. It really makes a massive difference. More young people across the South Lakes than ever before now have the opportunity to benefit from a variety of apprenticeships that will help to provide them with the skills they need to build their careers. I want us to build on this success and do even more to help our local young people."
Cllr Clare Feeney-Johnson added: "We have a wealth of small specialist businesses across South Lakeland that have excellent skills to pass onto our young people. This scheme enables those businesses to have a future work force whilst giving young people real opportunities right here on their doorstep"