City of Wolverhampton College is urging businesses to come forward and take on apprentices, in a bid to beat the credit crunch. The call comes after the Government revealed plans to fund an additional 35,000 apprentices next year to strengthen the country's competitiveness and help boost employment prospects. It will invest £140 million nationally on the project in both the public and private sectors, through the Learning & Skills Council. The college has already taken on ten apprentices, who combine their studies with paid work. The apprentices, all aged between 17 and 42, spend one day a week in class, working towards their qualification, and the rest of the week putting their new knowledge into practice as paid employees. The college's business director Chris Harding, who employs two apprentices in his faculty office, said: "Apprenticeships are a valuable way for young people to enter working life because they are getting a structured learning and work experience package which will stand them in good stead, while the business benefits from having increasingly skilled staff whose learning is funded by Government." Director of employer engagement Georgina Parker added: "In the current economic climate it is important that we give people the real help they need to find employment and improve their future career prospects by gaining new skills and achieving qualifications. "As a former apprentice, I believe that an apprenticeship provides a strong basis for a long-term career. "It enables people to gain invaluable work experience together with occupationally relevant qualifications and a working wage. "The apprenticeship programme can also make a real difference, providing highly competent and motivated staff." | 
