A successful local economy needs successful businesses, and successful businesses need employees with the right skills.
That is one reason why I am supporting a massive drive for local schools and businesses to help get young people from Northampton into apprenticeships. Many local businesses of all sizes are keen to take on new apprentices, and in Northampton there are now more apprenticeships on offer than there are students applying for them!
Apprenticeships are a great way for people to gain skills and experience, and also a good route to a rewarding career. I have previously held several large-scale and successful Jobs Fairs in the town, and now with employment at an all-time high, I want to turn to the apprentice shortage.
To make this happen, I have been working for many weeks to arrange the “Michael Ellis MP Apprenticeship Show”. I am working with the Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) and the Skills Funding Agency, to host the event at the Royal and Derngate Theatre later this month. This Apprenticeship Show is on course to be the largest event of its type in the country!
The event is for school students between 14 and 18 years of age to have the opportunity to attend three workshops to hear about apprenticeships and how they work, and also to meet recruiters from businesses and employers in Northampton – from national names like Barratt Homes, Boots the Chemists, and The Royal Navy – to major Northampton businesses like Opus Energy and Church & Co. shoemakers. Almost all the secondary schools in Northampton North have students who will be attending; hundreds of young people and dozens of businesses!
Some students see apprenticeships as a back-up plan rather than a first-choice. This Apprenticeship Show is designed to show students the wide variety of high-quality options that are available, and will bring together up to 400 young people from schools across the town to meet representatives from over 30 local employers.
It is a real privilege, as an MP, to have the opportunity to help young people get a good start in life, and I look forward to seeing many Northampton teenagers secure apprenticeships as a result of this event.