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Member of Parliament for Bradford East@DavidWardMP on Twitter and Facebook |
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David Ward MP <>
Supporting apprentices in small businesses
November 16, 2011 3:08 PM
Under Government plans small businesses will find it easier to take on apprentices
Bradford MP David Ward has welcomed the news that it will soon become much easier for smaller businesses to take on apprentices following a Government announcement today.
Apprenticeships have already reached record this year thanks to Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government. In Bradford nearly 5000 learners took on an apprenticeship this year, more than two thirds up on 2010.
Liberal Democrats have long called for a significant increase in apprenticeships and Lib Dem Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has made this a priority.To enable more small businesses to take on apprentices the Business Secretary this week announced a number of new measures, including:
- Offering employers with up to 50 employees an incentive payment of £1,500 to take on apprentices aged 16-24. This will encourage small employers to take on up to 20,000 apprentices.
- Streamlining processes so that it takes just a month for an employer to advertise for an apprentice.
- Ensuring that the National Apprenticeship Service better supports the needs of small employers - through more effectively targeted advice and guidance and helping training providers work more effectively with local SMEs.
Commenting, David said:
"If we are going to get Bradford's economy back on track we have to give young people the practical skills they need to succeed in work. Boosting apprenticeships is a huge part of that.
"I am delighted to see that record numbers of young people are taking on apprenticeships this year. This is great news for our local economy, but we still need to do more if we are going to make real inroads into youth unemployment.
"The announcements by Vince Cable today are very welcome. These will break down some of the barriers that smaller businesses face to take on apprentices and help to create sustainable growth, driven by our local employers."