Copeland MP Trudy Harrison has praised the passion, skill and dedication of the area’s apprentices.
Mrs Harrison spent last week’s National Apprentice Week speaking with apprentices from a wide range of fields in a series of in-person and online meetings.
Mrs Harrison said: “I am blown away by the quality of apprentices we have here in Copeland, and it’s been a privilege to meet just a sample of them during National Apprentice Week; to hear more about their routes into their chosen field and their ambitions for the future.
“The breadth of apprenticeships on offer is wide ranging – from nuclear, health, tourism, leisure and hospitality as well as traditional trades – and all the apprentices I met this week are a credit to themselves and their employers and I’m sure all have a bright future.”
Mrs Harrison visited organisations across the constituency to meet apprentices in a range of disciplines and levels at:
- Tornado Wire in Millom
- James Fisher Nuclear in Egremont
- West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven
- Rosehill Theatre in Whitehaven
- The Kings Arms Hotel in Keswick
Mrs Harrison also hosted two online discussions to offer viewers an insight from local apprentices and apprentice providers.
Firstly, joined by Alex Burghart MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Skills, Mrs Harrison spoke with apprentices and providers from Sellafield Ltd, United Utilities, Lakes College, UCLan and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, who all spoke first-hand about the opportunities that apprenticeships provide.
Mrs Harrison then hosted a second online session with her “nearest and dearest apprentices” – with daughters Savannah and Rosie and her own constituency office degree apprentice Oliver Dorgan – who discussed their experiences. Oliver also joined Mrs Harrison at a reception for MPs’ apprentices in Westminster earlier in the week.
Mrs Harrison said: “There have been 9,540 apprenticeships starts in Copeland since 2010, and the benefits are significant.
“By combining on-the-job learning with academic study, apprenticeships help individuals develop skills and knowledge for a rewarding career, and they help employers build a workforce for the future.”
Mr Burghart added: “National Apprentice Week is an opportunity to get out the really great news about what can be done with a modern apprenticeship.
“With over 640 different qualifications available, the possibilities are endless and I would encourage all young people to think about an apprenticeship as their next step.”
