Apprenticeships key to ‘re-building the economy’

MP for Twickenham, Munira Wilson, joined Crawford Knott, Managing Director of London-based training provider, Hawk Training (@Hawk_Training), on Friday 12^th February for a virtual roundtable discussion on the impact apprenticeships can have on helping to reignite the economy.

Hawk Training’s event; ‘Building the Future: Post-pandemic Apprenticeships’, fell during this year’s National Apprenticeship Week and provided an insightful discussion around how apprenticeships will be key in helping to rebuild the future following a year of employment standstill.

Mrs Wilson, who was selected in 2019 to replace Sir Vince Cable as the Liberal Democrat candidate in his Twickenham constituency, cited apprenticeships as a key area in the government’s bid to fight unemployment: “As we start to re-build and fire up the economy again I would like to see the government invest heavily in skills but also in green infrastructures where I think a lot of the jobs will come from around this area (Richmond Borough).”

She added: “There’s some great opportunities (for apprenticeships) but we need to be investing in greater incentives for employers as the uncertainty lifts and we begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

The panel were also joined by Richard Scott, HR Director from The HML Group, a top 100 apprenticeship employer, along with an apprentice, Nathan Scutchings, who is currently undergoing an apprenticeship programme with the property management experts through the tutorage of Hawk Training.

Together, the HML Group and Hawk Training have delivered 77 apprenticeships since 2017 and are looking to recruit four more, in spite of the pandemic. Mr Scott from HML suggested that the stigma attached to apprenticeships is beginning to lift:

“I see only benefits and positives with the apprenticeship programme and can only see it building on from strength to strength. We hear schools talking about apprenticeships more, careers fairs etc. I’m very passionate about them and I’ve also seen a massive change in the perception of apprenticeships.”

More information on Hawk Training’s Apprenticeships programmes can be found at www.hawktraining.com