KYP puts apprenticeships on the menu

KYP puts apprenticeships on the menu for local minority ethnic businesses in Stockport

Stockport Council, in partnership with the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS) and KYP hosted a business engagement event for Stockport BME Businesses. The event on Thursday 14 June aimed to raise awareness of the opportunities and benefits of Apprenticeships in supporting business growth.

KYP Rochdale is a community and volunteer organisation, whose ethos is one of community empowerment, through enterprise, employment or training.

The aim of the event was to highlight that, traditionally, BME young people and BME employers do not engage in the Apprenticeship programme; to promote Apprenticeships and to highlight the financial assistance and support available to businesses taking part in the Apprenticeship framework.

Guest speakers included Alison Creswell, Head of Participation and Education Services at Stockport Council, Tony Kay, Employer Account Manager at NAS and Sarah Thomas, Equality & Diversity Officer at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust who talked about their experience of and aspirations for Apprenticeships.

Zulf Ahmed, Director of Learning & Skills at KYP, was delighted with the turnout. He commented: “Apprenticeships are a great way to provide opportunities for young people, especially in the current economic climate. Apprenticeships provide young people with the opportunity to learn whilst they earn.

“Employers benefit from employing Apprentices as they help to fill skills gaps, help businesses to tap into new talent and develop the skills of their workforce to make them more competitive. It was encouraging to see BME businesses showing their commitment to engage with the Council and to engaging Apprentices now or in the future.”

Councillor Shan Alexander, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Achievement said: “The Council is always striving to provide employment opportunities for young people across the borough. Apprenticeships are mutually beneficial for both employers and young people. This event has been a very successful way of helping to highlight to ethnic minority employers the positive impact employing an apprentice can have on their business.”

Sarah Thomas, Equality & Diversity Officer at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, provided a presentation on the benefits of taking on apprentices and how the Trust was now increasingly considering Apprenticeships as a route to recruiting local people. This is an ideal way to nurture their talents and mould them into the Trust culture and way of working. The Trust currently provides 12 month or 2 year opportunities in a range of health and non-health related occupations.”

A number of business delegates congratulated the Council in taking a positive and pro-active approach to engaging local BME businesses. Mr. G R Ali, Managing Director, GB Autos commented: “This is the first time the Council has done something like this for BME businesses, and it is important that this dialogue and relationship building is maintained to build better links with the growing local BME residential and business communities.”

Mr G R Ali also thanked KYP for assisting the Council in arranging the event and expressed how he looked forward to further opportunities for business engagement and skills training for local communities.

Businesses were also made aware of the grants and support provided to employers and young people by Stockport Council and NAS. Employers can receive a grant of £1,000 if they employ a 16-18 year Stockport resident who has progressed from a pre-Apprenticeship programme funded by the European Social Fund and a further £1,000 if the young person is from a Priority One area of Stockport.

The Council is also looking for employers who can offer Apprenticeship training opportunities to 16-18 year olds from Stockport who have been “in care” or have “learning difficulties and/or disabilities”. In return, the Council will pay the apprentice’s wages for 12 months. These incentives are over and above the government’s £1,500 Apprenticeship incentive.

For further information about training or Apprenticeships, including business development support, please contact Zulf Ahmed at KYP on 01706 630140 or email apprenticeships@kyp.org.uk