MP for Penrith and The Border, Dr Neil Hudson, has welcomed figures showing that 8,360 new apprenticeships have been created in Penrith and The Border since 2010 amid National Apprenticeship Week 2023.
The figure raises to more than 5.3 million in England during the same 13-year period.
Locally Dr Hudson has been championing apprenticeships and recently welcomed Apprenticeships Minister, Robert Halfon, to Ullswater Community College, Penrith to discuss work being done in Eden to widen access to apprenticeships. Moreover, Dr Hudson helped secure at least 90 broadband apprenticeships at Newton Rigg, near Penrith, as part of the Government's £108 million Cumbrian Gigabit rollout and met with local apprentices in Cumbria's energy sector during Nuclear Week in Parliament.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
"Apprenticeships are a brilliant pathway to earn and learn as students enter the world of work.
"To have created 8,360 new apprenticeships in Penrith and The Border since 2010 is staggering and a real testament to the Conservative Government's commitment to improve skills and productivity in our economy.
"Each new apprenticeship means another student building the skills and knowledge they need for a long and successful career. I'd urge anyone looking at their next step to consider if an apprenticeship is right for them."
As well as driving up the number of people boosting their skills through apprenticeships, the Conservative Government’s reforms are also improving the quality of apprenticeships. £2.3 billion of additional funding has been announced for 2023-24 and 2023-25 – with colleges that deliver skills and training getting the most focused support.
Alongside reforms to apprenticeships, the Conservative Government has introduced T-Levels and established twelve Institutes of Technology. T-Levels provide students with vocational options as rigorous and robust as A-Levels, whilst Institutes of Technology will be the pinnacle of technical training.
As collaborations between universities, colleges and, business they will specialise in delivering quality, higher level technical training in STEM subjects, opening the door highly skilled careers.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, added:
“My apprenticeship was my golden ticket. It gave me a unique insight into how a business operated, from the shop floor to the boardroom. I learnt the skills that businesses truly value and it launched my career in international business.
“This National Apprenticeship week I hope more people learn about the incredible opportunities available in everything from engineering to healthcare. Whatever career goals you aspire to, they can be achieved through an apprenticeship which can take you all the way up to masters degree level”.
Government action includes passing the Skills and Post-16 Education Act, giving people the skills they need at every stage of their life, Investing £3.8 billion in skills training, and expanding UCAS services to include apprenticeships so students can make better decisions about their careers.
