John Baron MP visits Hallmark Care Homes to promote apprenticeships

John with Rob and Jack, together with Jo and Aaron of Hallmark Care Home

MP supports National Apprenticeship week.

Today John Baron MP visited Hallmark Care Homes to meet with apprentices as part of National Apprenticeship week (11^th – 15^th March). John met with Rob Byrom whom Hallmark has supported further with an Open University course. He also met Jack Plane, a former apprentice, who secured permanent employment with Hallmark following his apprenticeship.

During the last academic year (2011-2012), 710 people in Basildon and Billericay started apprenticeships, and a further 240 people have started one in this academic year. This is an increase of 61% from 2009.

John said:

“Apprenticeships provide real skills that can help our young people strive for their potential, whilst being responsive to the needs of local businesses and employers. Well done to Hallmark Care Homes and other businesses in the constituency for promoting them.”

Cathrine Robinson of Hallmark Healthcare said:

“Hallmark greatly value the contribution of apprentices and are continuously seeking opportunities to encourage entry to the care sector via the apprenticeship route. The apprenticeship framework offers an excellent approach to grow managers and leaders of the future that are suited to business goals and ethos.”

Rob said:

“Work experience alongside the academic qualification has been invaluable. I feel very confident about securing future employment.”

Notes to Editors

• The attached photo shows John with Rob and Jack, together with Jo and Aaron of Hallmark Care Home

• National Apprenticeship Week: More information on the week is available at: http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/About-Us/National-Apprenticeship-Service.aspx

• National Apprenticeship Week. More information on the week is available on the website of the National Apprenticeship Service (National Apprenticeship Service website, accessed 11 March 2013, link).

• Prime Minister: apprenticeships are central to rebuilding the economy. The Prime Minister has kicked off the launch of National Apprenticeship Week with a visit to a training academy in Buckinghamshire, where set out a vision for it to become the new norm for young people to either go to university or start an apprenticeship (Number10 news story, 11 March 2013, link).

• CEBR forecast apprenticeships will add £3.4 billion a year to the economy. The CEBR have forecast that apprenticeships completed over the next decade could contribute productivity gains worth up to £3.4 billion a year to the economy by 2022 (National Apprenticeship Service Press Release, 11 March 2013, link).

• A record half a million people started an apprenticeship last year. 520,600 people started an apprenticeship in 2011-12. This is a record number and the first time ever that more than half a million people have started an apprenticeship in one year (Data Service, Apprenticeships, 31 January 2013, link).

• An 86 per cent increase in apprenticeships under this Government. 240,900 more people started an apprenticeship in 2011-12 compared to 2009-10, Labour’s last year in power. This represents an 86 per cent increase in the number of people starting an apprenticeship under the Coalition (ibid.).

• 166 more young apprentices every single day. The number of under-25s starting an apprenticeship increased by 60,760 between 2009-10 and 2011-12. This is equivalent to an extra 166 young apprentices every day (Data Service, Apprenticeships, Quarterly starts and achievements by Level and Age, 31 January 2013, link).