Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, has welcomed the news that a consultation has been launched as steps are taken to create new flexible apprenticeships.
Sectors including the creative, agriculture and construction industries will soon be able to offer more flexible apprenticeship opportunities, and a survey launched today is seeking views and comments on how such a scheme could be run.
Currently, apprenticeships are a minimum of 12 months long, so sectors with flexible employment patterns and short-term roles, such as the agriculture and construction industries and the media industry have found it difficult to create opportunities. The Chancellor announced in the Spring Budget 2021 that new flexi-job apprenticeships schemes will give people the opportunity to work with different employers across different projects to gain the skills and experience needed. The consultation launched today focuses on enabling giving people the skills needed to get the jobs they want, ensuring that the economy can recover following the pandemic and lockdown restrictions. Apprenticeships are a key part of the Chancellor’s Plan for Jobs, which you can read more about here.
You can read more about the consultation here.
Commenting, Richard said:
“It is absolutely imperative that people are able to access the skills, experience and knowledge they need to get the job they want in the sector they want. Apprenticeships are a key part of this, and they ensure that employers can then employ the talented workforce they need, which is particularly important as we recover from lockdown and focus on boosting our economy.
“Flexible apprenticeships would hugely boost opportunities in sectors that traditionally have not been able to run apprenticeships in a boost for the sectors, employers and young people. Apprenticeships are accessible to everyone, whatever their background, and I am delighted that this consultation has launched to ensure that the scheme works for everyone.
“This Conservative Government cares deeply about education, the economy and supporting people from all backgrounds.”
To hear more about the work that Richard is doing for North West Durham, you can sign up here or input your details in the form on this page.