I held my third Apprenticeships and Jobs Fair, giving hundreds of young people in Fareham the opportunity to speak with dozens of potential employers.
On offer there were also a careers hub, workshops and interactive stalls to give people guidance and advice on finding the right career and apprenticeship for them.
This year’s fair was sponsored by Silver Lining, Fareham College, RJG Accountants, Saab, Eaton, Armorgard, Barnbrook Systems and Estee Lauder Companies.
This year’s fair fell aptly on National Apprenticeship Week, a time to showcase how rewarding this career pathway is.
It is one of the highlights of my year to host the Apprenticeships Fair and to see so many young people exploring the career opportunities available to them.
Apprenticeships don’t just enormously benefit the individual, giving them the opportunity to earn while they learn, but also wider society by enabling us to have a skilled workforce and by raising productivity in the businesses they join. I would like thank all of this year’s sponsors, particularly our main sponsor Silver Lining.
National Apprenticeship Week (NAW 2018) – ran from 5th to 9th March 2018. During the week employers and apprentices from across England will came together to celebrate the success of apprenticeships whilst encouraging even more people to choose apprenticeships as a pathway to a great career.
The theme for the #NAW2018 is ‘Apprenticeships Work’. Showcasing how apprenticeships work:
- for individuals
- for employers
- for the community
- for the wider economy
Figures show a sharp uptake in the numbers of young people taking advantage of apprenticeship since 2010. In 2009/10 the number of apprenticeships starts in Fareham was only 420, a figure that has more than doubled to 860 starts in 2016/17. In the South East, the number of apprenticeship starts has increased from 39,120 to 62,850 between 2009/10 and 2016/17.