MP asks businesses to go to apprenticeship evening

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has today asked businesses in the area to back local young people and come along to an opening evening and hear more about potential apprenticeship opportunities.

Kendal College is hosting an apprenticeship information evening on Thursday 14th March, from 4pm to 7.30pm.

Whether you're an employer, someone who's thinking about an apprenticeship, or a parent who wants to know more about how apprenticeships work, the evening will give lots of useful information about the opportunities locally.

Assessors will be on hand to talk about job opportunities, careers and how an apprenticeship can be the start of a fantastic new career.

Businesses are eligible for a grant of up to £1500 to help employers to take on their first apprentice. This scheme has now been extended until December 2013.

Tim has consistently championed apprenticeships and we have seen a massive 96% increase in uptake locally. 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 and Lonsdale the number of apprentices has almost doubled since 2009, with 760 apprentices in work in 2011/12. In 2005 only 270 apprenticeship places were available in Westmorland and Lonsdale.

Tim said: "For months I have called on government ministers to do more to help rural areas and especially young people in rural areas find jobs. Our apprenticeship campaign has been a massive success but we need to take it to the next level now. I hope that people will put themselves forward for this training scheme so we can start to build the next generation of businesses and entrepreneurs."