Apprentices – Hired!

It’s National Apprenticeship Week (6th-10th February) and Wigan is celebrating high levels of success helping young people boost their career prospects.

Local leaders met with apprentices past and present at the offices of Wigan and Leigh Housing this morning to review progress so far and ensure work can continue supporting the next generation.

They were told that Wigan Borough has one of the highest percentages of apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester area.

The breakfast meeting was attended by Deputy Leader of Wigan Council Cllr David Molyneux, and the chair of Wigan and Leigh Housing Neil Turner, as well as a number of business leaders.

It was great to meet with the young apprentices today showing firmly that apprenticeships are a real and viable option for young people today. Over one million young people are out of work so we must redouble our efforts as a nation to do more to help local firms create the apprenticeship opportunities young people across Wigan & Leigh need.

It is to our borough’s credit that Wigan & Leigh Housing and its partners, Tudor NW and Hughes Brothers recognise that building up our skills base has a major role to play in boosting growth and providing life changing opportunities for our young people.

Neil Turner, former MP and long-term supporter of the apprenticeship agenda, said, “Wigan and Leigh Housing are delighted to host an event as a local business alongside two other local businesses: Tudor North West Limited and Hughes Brothers. We’re using the occasion to highlights local businesses’ commitment to providing apprenticeships for local people.”

At the meeting, Arthur Naylor of Tudor North West said his firm would be looking for new people under the scheme.  Mr Turner reaffirmed his commitment to the scheme by announcing that further apprentices would be taken on. 

He added, “This compliments the work we are doing with Job Centre Plus in Wigan where their staff are now co-located with Wigan and Leigh Housing staff.  The housing company’s board and its staff remain strongly committed to providing the best housing service possible, and helping create a better borough”.

Deputy leader Cllr David Molyneux acknowledged the difficult economic climate but added, “I am delighted to see local businesses continuing to commit themselves to provide apprenticeships for local people.  These companies are clearly planning ahead to ensure that they have got a supply of new young talent to drive their businesses forward.  It is companies like these who are more likely to survive in these difficult times.”