Following this month’s GCSE and A-level results in the UK, Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, has been ‘flooded with enquiries’ about apprenticeships at its Technology Hub in Birmingham.
Make UK now has over 2000 young people in its talent pool looking for apprenticeship opportunities, and is urging engineering and manufacturing employers not to delay their apprentice recruitment plans, or to consider taking on an apprentice.
While many engineering and manufacturing companies may be thinking about delaying or cancelling their apprenticeship programs in light of the current COVID-19 crisis, Stephen Mitchell, director of apprentices and technical training at Make UK’s Technology Hub in Aston, Birmingham, has advised companies to look at the long-term picture.
‘We all know that these are testing times for all employers, but it’s never been more important to look at the future of your business, and apprentices play a key part in this,’ said Mr Mitchell.
‘Even if you’re not in a position to take on apprentices immediately, we would encourage you to start the conversations now. We’re holding telephone interviews regularly, and our fast-track recruitment process means employers can access applications and candidates with minimal fuss and delay.’
Since 1 August, the UK government is paying employers £2000 for every new apprentice aged 18-24 take into a business to train in the latest skills and technologies available in manufacturing.
Digital Labels & Packaging editor David Pittman and a host of industry friends have recently spoken about the value of a career in print and the role apprenticeships can play in making that a reality. Find out more here.
Make UK is a representative body for UK manufacturing, representing 20,000 companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multinationals, across engineering, manufacturing, technology and the wider industrial sector. It directly represents over 5000 businesses who are members of Make UK. Make UK’s Apprentice Technology Centre in Aston delivers high-specification training to around 1450 apprentices across the UK. Despite restrictions on movement as a result of COVID-19, Make UK is still delivering training to its apprentice population through virtual teaching and assessments.
