A campaign has been launched to encourage more businesses in Suffolk to take advantage of Government support for the creation of apprenticeships.
The Suffolk 500 initiative — launched last month — aims to secure commitments from employers around the county to recruit 500 new apprentices within 100 working days.
It involves the Apprenticeships Suffolk Business Service (ASBS), working in partnership with Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.
ASBS director Teresa Logan said: “ASBS works with employers in Suffolk to create apprenticeship roles in local businesses and to make taking on an apprentice simple and easy.
“It provides free advice to help businesses meet their recruitment and business development needs through apprenticeships, and to source the best training and support.
“Together with the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, we are looking forward to working with firms and business organisations to make this campaign successful and a fundamental part of economic growth in our county in 2016 and beyond.”
Firms expressing interest in the Suffolk 500 initiative will be able to meet with ASBS to discuss their training requirements and the best apprenticeship programme for them.
They will then be referred to a relevant training provider and given any support they need to make a successful recruitment or move an existing employee onto an apprenticeship programme.