£1500 cash per apprentice

Dermot Martin from Bournemouth and Poole College writes: Prime Minister David Cameron kicked-off the New Year urging employers to help unemployed young people into work by offering work experience and proper paid apprenticeships.

And to show he means business he is prepared to back up his plea with £1,500 cash per head to small and medium sized companies prepared to create genuine structured apprenticeships.

Now Bournemouth and Poole College is starting its own campaign to urge firms to think seriously about offering genuine apprenticeships across a whole range of industry sectors.

Between 6–10 February, as part of National Apprenticeship Week, the college is dedicating a week to flag-up ways to help employers in Dorset and Hampshire to create full-time apprenticeship schemes.

Over the next few weeks firms are being sounded out, via local business groups such as the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce, and encouraged to consider starting traditional apprentice schemes.

Gillian Donald the College’s Director of Employer and Community Partnership, says many smaller companies are missing out on the opportunity to prepare themselves for life after a “flatlining” economy but there is potential for an army of young people who could be ready and trained in the skills to allow these businesses to hit the ground running when the economy recovers.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, the college is holding events for local employers to come along and find out for themselves exactly what’s involved in taking on an apprentice.

If you would like to find out more, call Bournemouth and Poole College on 01202 205533 or check out the website.