Cllr Asima Shaikh, Executive Member for Economic Development, writes about how Islington Council is encouraging more local young people to become apprentices.

One of Islington Labour’s top priorities is supporting more local people into work. Since 2014, we have supported more than 410 young people to start apprenticeships. This is in addition to helping more than 4,000 unemployed local people, including over 1,200 young people, into work.

This week is National Apprenticeship Week (5-9 March), and gives us the perfect opportunity to celebrate Islington’s apprentices and the local businesses who employ them. It is also an opportunity to encourage more young people to start an apprenticeship, which is a great route into an enjoyable, well paid and rewarding career.

The Council offers a high quality apprenticeship programme across a variety of departments, from business to event management. We are working closely with employers, including in rapidly growing sectors like the tech and creative industries, to create more apprenticeships for local young people. We are also getting the message out through schools so students receive tailored careers advice.

From an exciting Apprenticeship Open Evening, to the launch of an apprentice forum for Council apprentices and school assemblies; there are plenty of activities taking place this week to inspire the next generation of Islington apprentices. I urge local young people who are interested in apprenticeships to get in touch with the Council’s iWork Employment Support Team to find out more about exciting opportunities available to them.

To find out more about apprenticeships in Islington, visit the Council website.

Pictured – Cllr Asima Shaikh, Executive Member for Economic Development; Cllr Una O’Halloran Mayor of Islington meeting local young people and employers at Islington Council’s Apprenticeship Open Evening