Apprenticeships show a dramatic increase
New figures show that in Hampshire and Isle of Wight over 6500 more people started an apprenticeship last year in the last year of the previous government. This is an increase of 59% since the Coalition Government came to power.
Commenting on this, Police and Crime Commissioner Candidate David Goodall said:
"As a former apprentice myself I am really pleased to see this increase in apprenticeship employment. Apprenticeships make companies more productive and give young people the experience and skills they need. That is why as Chair of West End Parish Council I was particularly pleased that this year we were able to take an apprentice to assist the grounds staff"
"Liberal Democrats are determined to tackle youth unemployment and get our economy back on track. We need to rebalance the economy away from the speculators gambling with other people's money in the City of London."
"Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are doing the right thing by investing across our area through the Regional Growth Fund to create sustainable growth, driven by our local employers. For our nation to be successful, people need the skills and experience to take advantage of new jobs being created in our area. Apprenticeships are a huge part of that."
"The record rise in learners taking them up last year is great news for the whole of Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the economy as a whole."
"The whopping 59% increase since Labour's last year in power shows the Coalition Government's is investing in the right thing and that it is paying off. Labour talk of helping young people and creating more apprenticeships, but it has taken the Liberal Democrats in Government to make the real difference"
Increasing employment will normally have a good affect on reducing the level of crime. The detail of the increase in apprenticeships across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is shown below, of particular note is the performance of Lib Dem run Portsmouth.
| 2009/10
Full Year |
2011/12
Full Year (provisional) |
Change since Labour left office | |
| By Constituency | |||
| Aldershot | 640 | 1070 | + 67% |
| Basingstoke | 510 | 1020 | + 100% |
| East Hampshire | 280 | 490 | + 75% |
| Eastleigh | 550 | 890 | + 62% |
| Fareham | 420 | 850 | + 102% |
| Gosport | 2080 | 2000 | - 4% |
| Havant | 420 | 880 | + 110% |
| Isle of Wight | 820 | 1730 | + 111% |
| Meon Valley | 610 | 900 | + 48% |
| New Forest East | 530 | 930 | + 75% |
| New Forest West | 370 | 630 | + 70% |
| North East Hampshire | 300 | 540 | + 80% |
| North West Hampshire | 990 | 850 | - 14% |
| Portsmouth North | 400 | 1090 | + 173% |
| Portsmouth South | 280 | 970 | + 246% |
| Romsey and Southampton North | 470 | 830 | + 77% |
| Southampton Itchen | 530 | 940 | + 77% |
| Southampton Test | 430 | 880 | + 105% |
| Winchester | 970 | 940 | - 3% |
| By Local Authority | |||
| Hampshire | 9050 | 12680 | + 40% |
| Isle of Wight | 820 | 1730 | + 111% |
| Portsmouth | 680 | 2060 | + 203% |
| Southampton | 1050 | 1960 | + 87% |
| Overall change | 11600 | 18430 | + 59% |
Notes:
- Figures are based on data from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
- To support more employers, especially small businesses, to take on apprentices, the Coalition Government has taken a number of measures:
- Offering employers with up to 50 employees an incentive payment of £1,500 to take on apprentices aged 16-24. This will encourage small employers to take on up to 20,000 apprentices.
- Streamlining processes so that it takes just a month for an employer to advertise for an apprentice.
- Ensuring that the National Apprenticeship Service better supports the needs of small employers - through more effectively targeted advice and guidance and helping training providers work more effectively with local SMEs.
- To tackle youth unemployment, the £1bn Youth Contract started this month and will give every young person the chance to earn or learn before long-term damage is done:
- The Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24-year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.
- A new programme to will help 16 and 17-year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs). This will help the most disengaged of young people to get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.
- In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in England.