09 February 2011
Lewisham College Campaigns for More Employers to Say "You're
Hired!"
This week marks the beginning of National Apprenticeship Week and
The Skills People at Lewisham College are launching an appeal for
more employers to come forward and find out about the business
benefits of taking on apprentices.
New research carried out for The Skills People at Lewisham
College reveals that despite high profile television shows such as
The Apprentice, the British public don't understand what real
apprenticeships involve.
While nine in ten adults know that apprenticeships are available
in traditional industries including construction and engineering,
almost 70% are unaware that apprenticeships are offered in fields
such as sport and travel and tourism.
Furthermore, one in ten people under 35 think that
apprenticeships are unpaid, when in reality, apprentices earn on
average £170 a week.
Head of Apprenticeships at Lewisham College Pamela Rathbone is
hoping to raise awareness among local businesses of the
opportunities available to them. She said: "Perhaps some people
think apprenticeships are only offered in traditional areas, and
don't yet realise how far apprenticeship schemes have
evolved. Training providers such as Lewisham College can help
employers in all sectors find apprenticeship programmes to suit
them, not only in the traditional businesses like
construction and hairdressing , but in areas such as the creative
and sport industries, games testing and digital media.
"Apprenticeships are a huge government priority at the moment.
What we do is to work with employers across London, who are perhaps
confused by the jargon, see how apprenticeships can benefit their
businesses. This is a great opportunity for employers ensure they
have workforces with the knowledge and skills needed for the 21st
century.
"Employers who don't have any apprentices don't know what
they're missing out on - apprentices make a real contribution to
bottom line business objectives at a time when businesses really
need to maximise their productivity."