South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, has launched a transformative initiative to improve the quality and quantity of apprenticeships in the region.
The Apprenticeship Hub, unveiled on 5 December at Rotherham’s Aesseal New York Stadium, is set to be a key resource for apprentices and local people who are hoping to undertake apprenticeships in the future.
The hub aims to create 300 high-quality apprenticeships by 2025, marking the beginning of a two-year pilot scheme. At the launch event, Mayor Oliver Coppard emphasised the importance of not only expanding but enhancing the economy.
Coppard said, “South Yorkshire doesn’t just need a bigger economy, we need a better economy.
“If we’re going to get there, and if everyone is going to be able to access the jobs and opportunities that the new economy will bring, we need to make sure people have the right educational skills, so they can access opportunity wherever it might be.”
Mayor Oliver Coppard described the Hub as a ‘one-stop shop’ for information and support; fostering skill development; and broadening access to opportunities. The Hub, based at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority offices in Sheffield, offers a comprehensive suite of services: information, advice, and guidance for apprentices, parents, and employers; business support; and opportunities into and out of high-quality level 2 and level 3 apprenticeships.
The initiative is all part of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s broader plan, called the Strategy Economic Plan. The plan aims to develop 30,000 people with ‘higher-level skills’ and 9,000 people with ‘low or no skills’ in the future.
Fliss Miller, director of skills at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, seemed enthusiastic about the Hub’s potential impact on the regional economy. She said, “This is great news for the South Yorkshire economy… we are going to be able to fulfil many of the requirements that have been lacking across our region for far too long.”
The Apprenticeship Hub is a critical part of the local authority’s plan to grow the economy in a way that benefits everyone in the region.
Image: Canva
