Recently released figures show that since 2010 there have been 5,750 new apprenticeships created in Northampton North – a staggeringly good number which demonstrates the effectiveness of the Government’s work in creating new apprenticeships.
For too long in this country previous Governments have neglected technical education and have not given children and young people an alternative to university. However, one of the priorities of this Government is to deliver more apprenticeships to give young people a choice about their futures.
Nationwide, more than 3 million apprenticeships have been created since 2010.
An ‘Apprenticeship Levy’ has now also been introduced: all large employers operating in the UK, who have a pay bill of over £3 million a year (the top 2% of employers), are required by law to invest in apprenticeships – this levy is expected to raise £2.5 billion.
The Government have also been backing and supporting the roll-out of new ‘Degree Apprenticeships’ which combine academia and on-the-job learning to give young people a degree level qualification whilst simultaneously giving them real experience in the workplace, making them attractive prospects to employers.
I have personally supported the roll-out of apprenticeships in meaningful ways; in April 2016, after months of organisation I hosted the “Michael Ellis MP Apprenticeship Show” which brought together hundreds of Northampton teenagers from eleven Northampton secondary schools to meet 35 local employers who provide apprenticeships.
These new figures are certainly encouraging and I hope and expect more are created in the future.