Member Article

York sets a high standard for employing apprentices

YORK has been ranked in the top five per cent of local authorities nationwide for apprenticeship take-up.

According to latest government figures, the city is also in the top ten per cent of local authorities for keeping young people in education or training after their final year at school.

Official figures from the Skills Funding Agency and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published earlier this month, show that over the past nine months, the increase in the percentage of York residents starting apprenticeships is in England’s top five per cent when compared to all other local authorities.

Government data showed that in the nine months up to April 2015, 1,340 York residents started an apprenticeship compared to 1,300 in the previous twelve months.

For school leavers, the figures show that of all York’s Year 11 students leaving school in summer 2014, 97.4 per cent were continuing their education and training, putting York in the top ten per cent of local authorities in England for retaining young people in education or training.

The detail shows that nearly 90 per cent of all post-16 school leavers in 2014 continued with their education at a college or a school sixth form. A further 6.4 per cent of school leavers took up employment with integrated training and/or apprenticeships while only two per cent were not in education, employment and training (NEET).

Councillor Keith Aspden, deputy leader of City of York Councilwith responsibility for Economic Development and Community Engagement, said: “New apprenticeship start-ups in York are particularly encouraging. Being amongst the highest in England, they also come down to lots of hard work by us and our committed partners.

“Young people and their families increasingly recognise that taking the apprenticeship route has a great deal to offer in building a successful and rewarding career.

“I’m also delighted that more and more York businesses are taking on apprentices and see this as one of the best ways to secure high-quality employees.”

The council runs its own apprenticeship service, The York Apprenticeship Hub, linking learners with a network of training providers across the city.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .