West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed efforts by local employers to offer more apprenticeship opportunities to local people.

And Harriett joined MPs from all over the country at a reception in Westminster to mark Apprenticeship Week, the work of apprentices and the impact they have helping the economy to grow.

The MP met with Meg Riach, who lives in Ashton Under Hill and works at the Dormy House Hotel, and is one of thousands of apprentices training in the hospitality sector who were represented at the event held on February 7.

Since 2010, more than five million apprenticeships have been offered to young people who choose to earn while they learn a skill as well as working and 8220 apprentices have been offered across West Worcestershire.

This week, the Government announced a new teaching apprenticeship that will offer a high quality, alternative route for people to become qualified teachers, on top of record levels of funding in skills and apprenticeships with investment to apprenticeships increasing to £2.7 billion next year.

Harriett said:

“Apprentice Week is a great opportunity to mark the work of those who prefer to earn while they learn as well as promoting the huge value they can offer to employers.

“Over the years, I have spoken to hundreds of local employers who have opted to take on an apprentice and nationally the Government has strongly supported this alternative way of training a skilled workforce.

“Apprenticeships have traditionally been considered as manual jobs but I’ve met with digital skills apprenticeships getting degree level training and each year one of our largest employers, QinetiQ, trains a new generation of staff through its apprenticeship programme.

“I’m glad to gather in Westminster to celebrate apprentices but most important of all, whenever I visit a local employer, I ask whether they are able to take on their own apprentice when conditions allow.”

Photo: Meg Riach with Harriett Baldwin MP