With the Government urging employers to make more apprenticeships available, Shrewsbury College is answering the call with the news it can help hundreds of companies to create positions.

The College has the capacity to manage around 800 Apprenticeships and guiding employers through the process means they can help to find the right person for the role.

Figures from the Apprenticeship Index have shown that demand for Apprenticeships in the county outstripped available places in Autumn last year, with up to 10 people applying for every vacancy.

But the College is hitting back with the news that it has the capacity to work with hundreds of county businesses to help them create more vacancies.

The programmes are employer-led and companies are encouraged to contact Corinne Brown, Business Development Manager at the College, for information on how the scheme works. Corinne and her team will then visit each company to find out what their needs are and talk them through the process including how the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), supports, funds and co-ordinates the delivery of Apprenticeships throughout England.

Corinne is urging county employers to work with the College, which has been finding apprentices for over 20 years from a county-wide talent pool. She said: “We offer many Apprenticeships programmes including Warehousing, Administration and Management. There are actually more vacancies out there than we can fill.

“The system is very employer-led. We listen to what individual employer’s needs are and through the NAS we help each business to recruit the right person.

“Apprenticeships bring considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy. Research shows that Apprenticeships are an optimal way of training, developing and skilling people for the future, helping businesses to secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities they need and which are often not available on the external job market.

“There has never been a better time to take on a young person, with the Government supporting small to medium sized businesses with grants for those considering taking on a young apprentice, although apprenticeships are open to all ages.”

David English, Director of English Construction based in Shrewsbury, has been taking on apprentices through the College for 12 years and said: “We are very dedicated to the ongoing training and development of our team to help individuals develop and ensure the company provides a great service.

“In the 12 years we have been trading we have trained 14 apprentices from Shrewsbury College, which we have a fantastic relationship with and who make the whole process so easy. The calibre of apprentices we have worked with has been very high across a variety of building disciplines.”

For more information about Apprenticeships through Shrewsbury College, please call Corinne Brown and her team on 01743 342464.