Hull tops table for school leavers in training

The city has more young 
people between the ages of 16 and 
17 signed up to an apprenticeship than any other area of England.

The figures, published by the Department for Education, show almost 50,000 have signed up for these schemes, up 15 per cent on the same point last year.

The information, supplied by local authorities, show that as of March this year, 49,228 16- and 17-year-olds in England were in apprenticeships, compared 
with 41,738 at the same point last year.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said the statistics show young people increasingly see apprenticeships as “a great way to fulfil their potential”.

A table comparing participation rates in different education authority areas shows Hull had the highest in the country.

Hull had just under one in ten young people signed up to apprenticeships. Kirklees with 7.7 per cent and Sheffield with seven per cent were also in the top ten nationally.

Gary Parkinson, Hull Council’s assistant city manager for young people, skills and employability: said: “This is great news for the young people of Hull and for the local economy. We are fortunate in Hull to have a large number of employers who understand the value of taking a young person on an apprenticeship.

“Here at Hull City Council we have a number of apprentices who contribute significantly to the service we deliver, with the majority of them securing a job with ourselves or another employer as a direct result.”

Eight out of nine regions in England, including Yorkshire, have seen an increase in the numbers of 16- and 17-year-olds in education and training this year, with the West Midlands the only area to see a slight drop.