Develop ‘skills for life’ this National Apprenticeship Week

Cheshire West and Chester Council is encouraging people and businesses to take advantage of apprenticeship opportunities and develop ‘skills for life’ this National Apprenticeship Week (6-12 February 2023).

National Apprenticeship Week brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. This year’s theme is ‘Skills for Life’; reflecting on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and businesses to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills.

Apprenticeships are a mixture of work-based training and education for anyone aged 16 and over. Since April 2021, people have started apprenticeships with Cheshire West and Chester Council in areas such as Finance, Pensions, Legal, Human Resources, Transport, Construction, and more. We will be sharing some of their stories and what they enjoy most about their apprenticeships on social media during National Apprenticeship Week.

If you are just starting out on your career path, considering making a change, or wanting to develop your skills further, you can find out more about the opportunities available with Cheshire West and Chester Council on our website:

Apprenticeships: information for residents | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Apprenticeship vacancies at a wide range of businesses and organisations can be found on the Cheshire and Warrington Opportunities website:

Apprenticeships in Cheshire and Warrington (candwopportunities.co.uk)

An apprentice can be an asset for any business. Taking on an apprentice could allow you to fill a skills gap, improve the company image, improve productivity, reduce staff turnover, increase diversity, and upskill existing staff. If you are interested in recruiting an apprentice to your business, you can find everything you need to know on the Council’s Let’s Talk Business website:

Apprenticeships (letstalkbizcw.co.uk)

Councillor Richard Beacham, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth, Economy and Regeneration, said:

“Apprenticeships can help you to develop skills and gain experience, so that you earn while you learn. For employers, hiring an apprentice can be a great way of investing in the talent of the future, and we encourage businesses to consider taking on apprentices. At Cheshire West and Chester Council, we really value the work that our apprentices do and it is important that as a Council we invest in people’s talent and potential.”

Councillor Paul Donovan, Cabinet Member for Workforce, Equality & Democracy, said:

“Among the Council’s many priorities is to help the people in our communities to thrive and improve their personal circumstances by supporting them to find training, build skills and gain employment. Having served an apprenticeship myself I can say they are a great way for people to develop and get onto their chosen career path.”

Creating and promoting apprenticeship opportunities is part of the Council’s commitment to bringing together business and education providers to develop skills and career pathways into jobs in key sectors. This is one of the 12 action points identified as part of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s vision for an Inclusive Economy, which aims to make the borough a greener, fairer and stronger place to live, work and play.

You can find out more about the Inclusive Economy here:

Inclusive Economy | Cheshire West and Chester Council

You can get involved with National Apprenticeship Week by visiting: 

www.naw.appawards.co.uk 

Using the hashtag #NAW2023 on social media.