Target is part of a team of local businesses, training providers and apprenticeship experts gearing up for the first Gloucestershire Skillsfest, taking place on 9 February.
The Skillsfest, which is being held at Gloucester Rugby Club, is a day-long programme of events designed to inspire and inform businesses and youngsters to take up apprenticeships, part of National Apprenticeship Week.
"We're really pleased to get involved in spreading the word - not just to businesses who may have never considered taking on an apprentice, but to young people and their parents trying to figure out their next steps after school," says Target's chief exec Sarah Bryars.
Beginning with a Business Breakfast, smaller businesses will hear how the Apprenticeship scheme works with contributions from a local employer and apprentice, and from Ian Mean, Editor in Chief of Gloucestershire Media and a prominent advocate of apprenticeships.
A seminar for some of the county’s larger businesses will be addressed by Chris Grayling, Minister for Employment, Richard Graham, MP for Gloucester, and Terry Chappell from the National Apprenticeship Service.
There will also be opportunities throughout the day to “Meet the Apprentice” and a briefing aimed at parents/carers to help them understand more about apprenticeships.
Terry Chappell is part of the team responsible for the event. He says: “Last year we ran a very successful Apprenticeship Jobs Fair, but this year we decided to think bigger and embrace the ‘past, present and future’ of apprenticeships.
“We’ll have people who have already been training as apprentices and employers operating successful schemes giving their inside view; live current vacancies so that jobseekers can talk directly to employers that are seeking apprentices now; and we’ll be whetting the appetite of youngsters still at school, who may be apprentices of the future, encouraging them to ‘have a go’ at a new skill.
“Throughout the day there will be an exhibition from local training providers and employers who run apprenticeships explaining what’s involved, the process, funding, employer incentives, and plenty of opportunities to hear directly from apprentices and their managers.”
Chappell concludes: “Our aim is to inspire businesses to create apprenticeship roles in their organisations, inform them how to do it, and get them started on a path that can bring fresh talent into their company and stimulate long term growth.
“We also want to excite young people about the opportunities to learn as they earn. The scope of apprenticeships is vast and caters for every level of education from the equivalent of GCSEs to degree standard, across a diverse range of sectors and types of organisation.”
The Gloucestershire Skillsfest has been organised by a collaboration of local businesses, training providers, GFirst and the National Apprenticeship Service.
GFirst Chief Executive David Owen said: “Nurturing Gloucestershire’s young talent is at the heart of GFirst and we want to encourage more apprenticeships within the county. They can be very beneficial for the apprentice but can also be invaluable to businesses by bringing in another skilled member to your team and fresh ideas. The Skillsfest is a really exciting opportunity to find out more about apprenticeships and we are sure it will be a great success.”
For details of the day’s programme visit www.GlosSkillsfest.co.uk or email glosskillsfest@apprenticeships.gov.uk or call 01242 500 009.
