Providing the skills for our region to thrive

The Ladder for Shropshire, backed by the Shropshire Star, aims to raise awareness, encourage and support employers to offer apprenticeships.

It was originally active in the area in 2014 when it was very successful in generating apprenticeship opportunities, bringing on board more than 200 new employers from a wide range of sectors including administration, accountancy, beauty therapy, construction, ICT and many more.

It comes at a time when the region and the wider UK is facing the spectre of rising unemployment in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

As predicted, the pandemic has impacted badly on the employment prospects of young people. Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions indicate that the number of 18-to-24 year-olds unemployed and looking for work in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin has more than doubled since the beginning of the year and now stands at 3,915. Local organisations who are able to offer opportunities are therefore urgently needed to come forward.

Shropshire Star Editor Martin Wright said: “When the Ladder was first launched, we were overwhelmed at the response from both employers and would-be apprentices. The events of the last six months have brought the issue of employment to the very top of the agenda, making the Ladder initiative more relevant than ever.

“We are proud to be a part of this campaign and look forward to helping make a positive contribution to our region’s recovery from the devastating effects of the pandemic. You can expect regular updates on the progress of the campaign in print and on our website – and we would urge anyone interested in supporting the project to get in touch using the contact details included on this page.”

The Ladder campaign is being relaunched in partnership with The Marches Skills Provider Network, Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council. Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s director for children’s services, said: “We are excited to support the implementation and growth of the Ladder campaign and increase the number of apprenticeship vacancies within the county.

“The campaign is particularly important at present as many of our communities and businesses have been adversely affected by floods and the coronavirus pandemic, and this has resulted in fewer people in employment.

“Through the campaign, we hope to promote employment opportunities, bridge skills gaps and encourage businesses to consider apprenticeships as a route to employment and enabling people to learn new skills.

“Shropshire Council’s apprenticeship levy transfer scheme has now launched and this is one way we can support organisations within the county to create these apprenticeship opportunities. Apprenticeships have been a great way for Shropshire Council to train new and existing staff and we would encourage any organisation that would benefit from this to consider apprenticeships as a quality training route.”

Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “We are pleased to be a key supporter of the Ladder campaign. Through the scheme, we will give employers specialist support to help them maximise the benefits an apprentice can bring to their business.

“The council, along with our school partners, currently have over 150 apprentices. Our apprenticeship programme ensures that we have the right skills within our organisation to deliver our priorities now and in the future. We have very much benefited from the commitment of our apprentices and we also recognise that apprenticeships provide an important step into employment whilst working towards a recognised qualification.

“The coronavirus pandemic is a very challenging time for employers and we are ready to support them to develop their own apprenticeship programmes as part of supporting the economic recovery from the pandemic.”

The Ladder for Shropshire was originally launched in 2014 and began with two main aims – to engage with young people so that more would be encouraged to apply for apprenticeships and to engage with the business community and generate more apprenticeship opportunities.

Launched in the hope of producing some of the future leaders of industry, the campaign matched training providers with employers and would-be employees, and convinced young people who were facing uncertainty at the end of their school career that there was a career to be made while learning on the job. Designed to breathe fresh life into the county’s workforce and economy, it came into being on the back of similar successful campaigns elsewhere in the country. The Ladder has attended school careers evenings and made presentations across the area.

Fantastic feedback has been received from schools and colleges who now have a better idea about how to apply for apprenticeships and can see the wide range of great opportunities available to them.

Now hopes are high that it will continue to generate the roles, and to build the workforce that the county needs.

The relaunch of the campaign has also received backing from Shropshire Chamber of Commerce.

Richard Sheehan, chief executive of the chamber, said: “Any initiative which will help provide the business owners and leaders of the future is welcomed.”