Bristol South MP Karin Smyth has teamed up with City of Bristol College, Bristol City Council and the Department of Work and Pensions for another Jobs and Apprenticeships fair.
The event, which takes place from 11am-3pm on Thursday 28 February at the South Bristol Skills Academy in Hengrove, will feature some of Bristol’s biggest employers looking to recruit apprentices and new staff – including some key south Bristol employers such as Babcock International and Robbins Timber.
“Post-16 options can be confusing and I wanted to help students and their parents to navigate this,” said Karin Smyth, who organised similar events in both 2018 and 2017.
“Quality apprenticeships have such an important role to play in helping young people have decent careers without getting tens of thousands of pounds into debt in the process.
“Many of the stalls at the fair are run by apprentices themselves, so it’s a great opportunity to hear what it’s like from the people who know.”
Speaking at last year’s apprenticeships fair, Hargreaves Lansdown cyber security apprentice Amanda Rogers said: “I applied for apprenticeships in IT via the government website and was lucky enough to get this one. It’s really good, you learn and get a wage which is really beneficial. I’ll get a degree and there will be no debt. Hargreaves Lansdown are really supportive – if you need time off to do the work, they’ll allow you that. There are also so many opportunities for progression.”
Lee Probert, Principal and Chief Executive at City of Bristol College commented: “We are pleased to be working in collaboration with Karin Smyth MP, Bristol City Council, the Department for Work and Pensions and other city partners to host this event and help our local communities to connect with a large number of employers with job vacancies, as well as to access many skills development routes available through college training and qualifications. Apprenticeships are an excellent way to earn a wage whilst gaining the skills and experience needed for many careers. They are available at various levels including degree, offering first-hand experience and an alternative route to learning”.
The fair takes place ahead of National Apprenticeships Week (4-8 March 2019). The annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships celebrates the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy.
Alongside Karin Smyth and City of Bristol College, this year’s apprenticeships fair is being organised with Bristol City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
The fair announcement comes as the latest UCAS figures show a further drop in the percentage of school leavers in Bristol South – from 16.2 percent in 2017 to 15.9 percent in 2018, compared to 31.4 percent nationally. In all other areas of Bristol the figure is significantly higher.
Karin said: “I’m working with schools and colleges to ensure that more young people in Bristol South have the opportunity to go to university; but I recognise that university isn’t the only route to a decent career which is why I’ll continue to focus on quality apprenticeships.”
Cllr Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills at Bristol City Council, added: “Apprenticeships are for anyone, not just for those at the start of their careers, and can be an excellent way to develop the skills and qualifications that businesses are looking for. We have some fantastic employers in the region offering high quality apprenticeships and they are encouraged to pay apprentices in line with their skills and experience, helping to make the city a fairer place to live and work”.
