‘Opportunities Through Apprenticeships’ project is launched to boost access to apprenticeships in disadvantaged areas

New scheme to boost access to apprenticeships in disadvantaged areas is launched

A new initiative to increase the number of people from disadvantaged communities taking up high-quality apprenticeships opportunities has been launched today.

Four local authorities – Portsmouth, Nottingham, South Tyneside and Torbay – have all signed up to take part in the new ‘Opportunities Through Apprenticeships’ pilot scheme.

Each area has pledged to work with employers, training providers and local partners to promote and encourage people to consider doing apprenticeships in key sectors such as engineering, manufacturing, construction and ICT.

This will include developing an action plan to help break down barriers and support individuals to access apprenticeships in their local area, and promoting higher level apprenticeships, as a great way to work with some of the UK’s key employers.

Anne Milton, Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills concluded:

We want to increase the number of people taking up apprentices from more disadvantaged areas. This exciting new project will provide people of all ages a great opportunity to do exactly that, especially in growing engineering and ICT sectors.

An apprenticeship gives someone the chance to get new skills, get a better job and get on in a career.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the positive impact the project has on the lives of people in Portsmouth, Nottingham, Torbay and South Tyneside!

Apprenticeships offer people of all ages the chance to earn while they learn, with options to train right up to degree level in a range of exciting and rewarding jobs.

The government is working with employers across the country to create more high quality apprenticeships to change the lives of apprentices and so that business have access to the higher skills they need for a rapidly changing world.

This work forms part of the government’s commitment to improve social mobility by creating more high quality education and training opportunities for people across the country. The project will help identify and spread ‘what works’ so that successful approaches can be adopted more widely.

The pilot projects will run until 2020. Their success will be evaluated and learnings will be shared across other local authorities in England.

Opportunities Through Apprenticeships – South Tyneside Council