Rugby MP Mark Pawsey has given his support to the next generation of skilled apprentices being trained at Warwickshire College’s Rugby site.
Speaking with apprentices, employers including GE Alstom and Morgan Sindall, alongside staff at the college for National Apprenticeship Week 2016, Mark discussed the opportunities for apprentices and vocational training. There is a particular focus on getting young people into skilled manufacturing and engineering careers.
The theme for this National Apprenticeship Week 2016 puts the focus on an apprenticeship being able to take you anywhere. There are a growing number of young people who look to an apprenticeship as an alternative route to doing a university degree.
Speaking after the visit, Mark said:
“As I know having run my own business here in Rugby for 25 years before entering Parliament, ensuring our young people learn the skills that they need to get on in life must be a priority. 5,010 young people here in Rugby have been able to secure an apprentice since May 2010 and I know that we will build on this success as we aim to deliver 3 million new apprentices across the country by 2020.”
Mark continued:
“It was particularly valuable to have both apprentices and employers at the event, as we were able to talk about the ways in which both students and businesses benefit from taking on apprentices. From speaking to those who attended, it’s clear that there is still much more that we can do to promote apprenticeships. The Enterprise Bill, which I worked closely on as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Rt. Hon. Anna Soubry MP, Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise, will deliver new investment in apprentices and the challenge now will be helping school leavers to enter an apprenticeship.”
Mark concluded:
“With companies like GE Alstom, Morgan Sindall and the Manufacturing Technology Centre all based right here in Rugby, we have a fantastic history of engineering excellence. The apprentices I spoke to were developing the innovations of the next generation and I am proud to support them in doing that.”
Yousef Fouda, Rugby College Director added,
“We were delighted to welcome Mark Pawsey MP to Rugby College to meet with apprentices and their employers to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week. We're really proud of our apprenticeship programme at Warwickshire College Group. We work with over 900 employers and over 2000 apprentices train with us every year, helping to provide the skilled workers that industry needs. It was great for the apprentices and employers to meet with Mark to showcase their achievements and demonstrate the enormous contribution that apprentices and apprenticeships make.”