The MP for Windsor welcomes the National Apprenticeships Week, designed to promote apprenticeships and celebrate the positive impact that they have on both the economy and on social mobility.

The number of apprenticeships doubled over the course of the last Parliament and the Conservative Manifesto promised 3 million more high quality apprenticeships by 2020, a task already underway and predicted to accelerate once the Apprenticeships Levy comes into force.

348,300 apprenticeships have been created since May 2010 in the South East alone and in the constituency of Windsor 2,760 people have benefited from apprenticeships schemes.

The MP for the Windsor constituency, Adam Afriyie welcomed the figures:

“It’s great that so many people are recognising the benefits of apprenticeships and transforming their life chances.

“It’s also good to see the back of Labour’s foolish focus on universities to the exclusion of all other education streams is over and that the vocational route is beginning to enjoy equal esteem.

“2,760 people in Windsor constituency have benefitted from apprenticeships since 2010 and have equipped themselves with the tools they need to find a job, earn a living and contribute to Britain’s economic future. A Parliamentary Question I asked last year showed that this included a number in Engineering, Manufacturing and ICT.

“As someone who got into politics in the first place driven by the issue of social mobility I have taken a particular interest in ways in which apprenticeships can help someone’s life chances. Only last week I attended a lunch with Lord Baker and the Edge Foundation to discuss the need for careers talks to highlight the benefits of apprenticeships and University Technical Colleges.

“I would encourage all students to consider an apprenticeship particularly if they aren’t that keen on university at 18.”

ENDS

Note to editors

1.    Adam Afriyie has written at length on education and social mobility. To see his full record please see here and here.

2.    Adam Afriyie has a strong background and interest in science, technology and innovation due to his entrepreneurial background in the IT sector and a variety of posts he has held and/or currently holds, including Shadow Minister for Science, Chairman of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) and President of the Conservative Technology Forum (CTF).