Bradford College

Bradford College Backs National Apprenticeship Week

With the launch of National Apprenticeship Week, (6-10 February) Bradford College is playing a vital role in helping to alleviate the impact of rising youth unemployment with a range of innovate Apprenticeship courses with employability in mind.

Former Labour Foreign Secretary David Miliband has issued a warning that youth unemployment will cost the government billions of pounds if it is not tackled now - and that the situation has now reached an "emergency point".  The coalition hopes apprenticeships will help solve the problem.

Through the range of outstanding Apprenticeship courses, Bradford College is opening up opportunities for young people to get the right education, training programmes and employment.

A wide range of apprenticeship programmes are available through City Training Services, part of the Bradford College family. City Training Services is one of the largest and successful providers of apprenticeships in West Yorkshire with a successful 25 year track record.

Bradford College has been working closely with the local business community to take on apprentices in order to help boost the economy. Earlier last year 14 Electrical students were specially selected for Electrical Apprenticeships within the local region and the International Food Academy has a 90% success rate in finding apprentices employment after graduation.

The success of these young apprentices is highly significant in light of the recent reports by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and by the Institute of Public Policy Research. ONS state that the number of 16-24 year olds out of work has risen to 1.2 million; the highest since records began in 1992. Additional to this a recent report by the Institute of Public Policy Research found that nationally, considerably fewer apprenticeships had been given to those aged between 16 – 24.

Apprenticeships are increasingly being recognised and used as a pathway to university, often part-time and with financial support from employers, whilst the apprentice continues to work.

To coincide with the launch of the National Apprenticeship Week, Bradford College Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) student, Jack Bateson has been specially selected to take part in the national campaign.  Jack Bateson is the first ever AASE Programme Boxer in the country to become a member of the Great Britain Development Squad and has been invited to meet top officials and Government Ministers at a ceremony in London.

To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week  visit: www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Awards/Apprenticeship-Week-2012.aspx

Click here to find out more about our wide range of Apprenticeships