Dear Sir,
As the FT reports every day, business is a competitive environment. Rarely does the entire business community come together passionately over one specific topic. Apprenticeships are an exception. We all, as leaders in business, support Apprenticeships, and 85,000 of us have made a personal commitment to them – by employing apprentices in our own companies.
The spending review recently announced funding for an extra 75,000 Apprenticeship places and today we have joined forces to urge other employers to consider how Apprenticeships could help their businesses. With 200 types of Apprenticeship available at three different levels, they are an excellent way to progress staff while building their essential skills. And government contributes towards the training costs.
We know that Apprenticeships provide people with enhanced employment opportunities, and are a great way to learn. Supporting the growth of this programme will build a great legacy and ensure we all support the business leaders of tomorrow.
Yours,
David Frost, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce
Colin Willman, Federation of Small Businesses Sir Roy Gardner, Chairman of the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network Peter Jones CBE, Entrepreneur Allan Cook CBE, Chairman, Atkins plc Simon Swords, Managing Director, Atlas Computer Systems Nigel Whitehead, Group Managing Director, Programmes & Support, BAE Systems plc Lucy Adams, Director, BBC, BBC People Mike Turner CBE, Chairman, Babcock International Group plc Mark Clare, Group Chief Executive, Barratt Developments plc Phil Bentley, Managing Director, British Gas Alex Wilson, HR Director, BT Martyn Price, Managing Director, CMC Ltd Ian Sarson, Group Managing Director, UK & Ireland, Compass Group plc Richard Harpin, Chief Executive, HomeServe plc George Kessler CBE, Joint Deputy Chairman, Kesslers International Ltd Anthony Massouras, Chief Executive, Mimosa Healthcare Ltd Roger Goodman, Group Corporate Development Director, MITIE Group plc Rear Admiral Al Rymer, Director of Training and Education, MOD Andy Longden, Executive Vice President, Treasury & Corporate Finance, Royal Dutch Shell plc Hayley Tatum, Personnel Director, Tesco UK Operations Claire Young, Mentor to the Young Ambassador Network Christine Gaskell, Member of the Board for Personnel, Bentley Motors Ltd Greg Penn, HR Director, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK Ltd. |