Surrey County Council has confirmed that businesses stand to benefit as much as young people from apprenticeship opportunities, as they lend their support to a new campaign to drive apprenticeships in the area.
The Advertiser's Route to Work scheme aims to offer young people in the Surrey area a wide range of opportunities to learn and earn, and enhance their future career prospects as they go.
Chris Bussicott, who oversees apprenticeships for the county council, confirmed that around 500 new apprenticeships are to be created by April of next year, which is extremely positive news for young people in the area looking to get into careers such as bricklaying, carpentry and plumbing.
Surrey County Council leader, David Hodge, told The Advertiser: “Apprenticeships provide young people with skills they require, give businesses the workforce they need to thrive, and help the economy grow, which is why the council is aiming to create another 500 by next April.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Furtek, assistant director of community development at the council, said that the area needed a new focus on the importance of apprenticeships and youth employment. “When you get statistics coming through which shows Mole Valley has one of the lowest take-ups of apprenticeships in the country, that's news,” he said.
“I think it's absolutely right that the local newspaper has picked it up and done something about it. You've highlighted there is an issue now and people are talking about it and you are giving people a chance to do something about it.”