Apprenticeships are a brilliant way to earn qualifications while learning on the job.
To mark National Apprenticeship Week this year, I was pleased to celebrate the contribution of apprentices working in the hospitality sector, our country’s third largest employer, in Parliament.
I met Andrew Thomas who is currently undertaking an apprenticeship at the Hook Norton Brewery. I was delighted to award Andrew with his certificate of recognition for all of his hard work and enjoyed hearing about how he has been getting on.
Speaking on National Apprenticeship Week, Skills Hub Manager at OxLEP Sally Andreou said:
“National Apprenticeship Week has and remains a critical time for both individuals and organisations who champion apprenticeships and aim to showcase the value they bring to businesses, plus the significant opportunities they create for young people to take their first step onto the career ladder – or indeed – those looking to change career path or to re-engage with the workplace."
“Given we have such a tight labour market in Oxfordshire, apprenticeships not only offer local people the chance to ‘earn and learn’ while starting their career, retraining or upskilling, but they also present businesses with a method to grow, through the development of their own talent."
“At OxLEP, we are committed to both championing and supporting the implementation of apprenticeships, in particular, backing small businesses to develop them."
“Our £1.7 million Social Contract programme – supported by funding via the government’s Contain Outbreak Management Fund through Oxfordshire County Council – has to-date, secured over £2 million-worth of apprenticeship levy funds thanks to pledges from the county’s larger businesses, subsequently utilised by our small businesses to create their own apprenticeship schemes."
“Through apprenticeship levy transfers, we have supported around 150 apprenticeships to be created in Oxfordshire with around 40 per cent of those within health and social care – a critical sector both locally and nationally, requiring new talent."
“If you are a small business in Oxfordshire looking to create an apprenticeship within your organisation, we would encourage you to get in touch with us.”
