In his latest column, High Peak MP Robert Largan talks about a recent roundtable meeting he organised in a bid to open up more apprenticeship opportunities for local people.

I recently organised a roundtable meeting of local employers and educational providers at Buxton & Leek College, bringing together some of the High Peak’s most well-known companies, to try and open up more apprenticeship opportunities for local people.

The meeting follows my successful High Peak Jobs & Apprenticeships Fair last October, which was attended by hundreds of local people and over 50 local employers.

We have so many world-class businesses based right here in High Peak, such as Tarmac, Breedon and Buxton Water. As we continue our post-pandemic recovery, I want to make certain that local people are given more opportunities to advance their future careers and get the chance to get a high-quality apprenticeship.

There are a wide variety of fantastic career-launching programmes already available on our doorstep, from degree-level apprenticeships to supported internships.

However, not everyone is able to benefit from these opportunities for a variety of reasons – whether that’s due to poor public transport or a lack of awareness about the different career options available to them.

Whilst our schools and educational providers do a fantastic job inspiring our young people every day, I know that there is more that we can do to work together to help everyone across the High Peak, including the more remote rural areas. After all, equipping the next generation of High Peak residents with the skills they need is vital if we are to future-proof our local economy and level up the whole country.

That’s why I am really pleased we had such a productive roundtable, with everyone agreeing to work together and see if we can establish a High Peak Apprenticeship Exchange - the first of its kind in our area.

This would include a shared calendar of events in High Peak including jobs fairs, school visits and field trips, an information sharing service to publicise new opportunities, and a virtual presentation for employers to share more information about the apprenticeships they offer to parents, pupils and young adults.

I am determined to ensure that the pandemic doesn’t have a lasting impact on our young people’s prospects. I was pleased to give a talk on aspiration to students at Buxton & Leek College recently and I am already beginning to plan my second annual High Peak Jobs & Apprenticeships Fair, after the success of last year’s event. But there is still more to be done.

I look forward to working with schools, charities, businesses and local government organisations in the future to make the High Peak Apprenticeships Exchange a reality.

Read more from the Glossop Chronicle

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper