Council supporting apprenticeship awareness week

Horsham District Council will be supporting National Apprenticeship Week 2013 in March.

Apprentices are employees who earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff in businesses to gain job specific skills and nationally recognised qualifications.

On Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 March 2013, there will be two events, run by the National Apprenticeship Service, in West Sussex designed to promote the value of apprenticeships both to businesses and people in the county who may be interested in this career path.

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An event will be held in Horsham on 13 March 2013 at The Holbrook Club, North Heath Lane, Horsham, RH12 5PJ and the second event will be held on 14 March at Field Place in Worthing.

Both events are free and will include a business breakfast for employers from 7.30am until 9am, daytime activities for school groups from 10am until 2.30pm, and information sessions from 3pm until 6:30pm for parents and anyone considering an apprenticeship pathway.

Booking is essential for businesses and schools but the event will be open to all from 3pm until 6.30pm.

Educational establishments across the District and neighbouring locations, such as Collyer’s College in Horsham, Brinsbury College of Agriculture in Pulborough, Central Sussex College in Crawley and Northbrook College in Worthing, offer apprenticeship training to people seeking a different route into employment.

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Horsham District Council has taken on three young apprentices who are working, learning and earning through an apprenticeship.

Roger Paterson, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for the Local Economy, said:

“Horsham District Council recognises the difficulties young people are facing today in finding meaningful employment and our support to the Apprenticeship programme sits alongside excellent work the Council is already doing for the 18-24 year old age group with the work experience programme, Journey to Work.

“This programme operates under the National Get Britain Working campaign banner and is the first of several initiatives the Council is developing to support young people across the District.

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“The Council is actively working with partners to provide practical programmes particularly focused on encouraging employers to support work experience schemes to help school leavers and students understand how best to qualify themselves for employment.”

Several businesses across the Horsham District already operate thriving apprenticeship schemes, including Damovo, a computer technology company that has taken on 23 new apprenticeships in two of its departments.

Damovo has the accolade of being listed in the Top 100 companies operating apprenticeships across the country.

Visit the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) website (http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/) for links to apprenticeship programmes in the area and also activities taking place locally during Apprenticeship Week.

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The website contains invaluable information for local residents interested in apprenticeship vacancies as well as local businesses wanting to know more about the benefits of employing apprentices.

For further information on Apprenticeship Week and Horsham District Council’s Journey to Work programme please contact Jan English, Work Experience Coordinator at Horsham District Council, by emailing [email protected] or 01403 215262.