£1,500 incentive for firms to hire an apprentice

Engineering companies in the North of England are offering more apprenticeships than other areas of the country, according to new research.

By The Newsroom

Published 7th Feb 2012, 06:00 BST

The North, including the North West, North East and Yorkshire, was also found to be taking on more apprentices aged 25 and over.

The research, by Semta, the sector skills council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies in the UK, has led to calls for all employers to consider recruiting an apprentice to tackle jobs and skills needs.

The data found a quarter of employers in science, engineering and manufacturing industries in the North offer apprenticeships, compared with a national average of 17 per cent.

In the South of England, 22 per cent of sector employers offer apprenticeships.