Member Article

Apprenticeships on offer for Fylde GCSE school-leavers

Almost 200 paid jobs are up for grabs for sixteen-year-old school students in Blackpool.

Blackpool Council is encouraging year 11 pupils who have just received their GCSE results to find jobs and apprenticeships with local training providers, in advance of the launch a countrywide apprenticeship campaign.

The Choice4U careers event is being hosted by Blackpool Council at Central Library this Friday (August 22) between 10am and 4pm, with a total of 195 jobs on offer.

There will also be opportunities for the young candidates to speak to experts about opportunities to take up further education, as well as traineeships.

The event has been jointly organised by Blackpool Council and the Blackpool Provider Group – a partnership of organisations providing apprenticeship opportunities in Blackpool.

Training providers from across the Fylde Coast will be on hand to talk to school leavers about the job opportunities available to them, as well as discussing the apprenticeship route which allows young people to earn money from a job while they continue learning.

The event coincides with the launch of a national campaign to recruit more apprentices.

The government campaign will include poster, TV and digital advertising to promote the benefit of people becoming apprentices and for businesses to create new apprentice vacancies.

Cllr Fred Jackson, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for youth employment, said: “Hundreds of young people in Blackpool will be getting their GCSE results on Thursday and thinking about the next step.

“For some that will be college and for others they will already have a job lined up. But it’s not the same for everyone.

“The Choice4U event is a great chance for anybody to come down, talk to providers and you can even apply for the many jobs that we have already available.

“There will be lots of training providers and Connexions staff at the event, so even if you just want a quick discussion about your options – they’ll be able to help you out.”

Andy Fairbrother, Chair of the Blackpool Provider Group, added: “This is an amazing opportunity that allows all the young people of the area to get the best and most current careers advice available and see what their choices are.

“Many people fail to realise that all young people must have the correct information to make the decisions that they need and what suites their individual needs.

“Too many times we hear that there are no jobs available for young people in Blackpool, well as shown at this event, there are 195 vacancies and that is 195 actual paid career options with training and qualifications.

“You can ask any of our members, every month there are over 100 vacancies waiting to be filled. That’s the future and where Blackpool’s prosperity is waiting, filling these and many more vacancies.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .