Crawley MP Peter Lamb marks National Apprenticeship Week by welcoming government overhaul of system

• MP visits Gatwick Apprenticeship scheme to champion local apprentices
• Labour unveils landmark plans to unlock thousands of apprenticeships in region
• Education Secretary bolsters government plans to go ‘further, faster’ on growth

More young people in Crawley will soon have the chance to take on an apprenticeship, owing to the Labour government’s reform of the skills system to unlock opportunity and drive growth.

Today 12 February Peter Lamb MP for Crawley, has marked National Apprenticeship Week and visited Gatwick’s Apprenticeship Fair meet with local apprentices and discuss the difference Labour’s reforms will make.

The first set of apprenticeships statistics under the new Labour government brought welcome news for the Further Education system, seeing an increase in starts, participation and achievements compared to the same period in 2023. In Crawley that meant 1,160 apprentices currently on their course, with 90 having recently completed and 250 beginning their apprenticeship between August-October 2024.

However, the MP said the government refused to rest on its laurels, pointing to the Chancellor’s recent speech pledging to go ‘further and faster’ on growth and claiming the reforms set out by Labour during National Apprenticeship Week were evidence of progress.

The MP’s intervention followed Labour’s unveiling of new measures to slash red tape which has stopped business from taking on more apprentices and led to apprenticeship starts collapsing under the Conservatives. Labour is set to create shorter apprenticeships to increase flexibility for business as well as slim down bureaucratic burdens so providers can focus their time on training rather than unnecessary admin.

In addition, the already highly successful arrangement at Crawley Borough Council, has a brilliant arrangement in place with local organisations and businesses through a youth hub scheme called Employ Crawley. This is to help to ensure young people have the right opportunities through apprenticeships, to enable them to learn new skills, gain valuable experience and exposure in industry that can lead to fulfilling work.

At the same time, Labour is modernising the apprenticeship experience, creating more courses aligned to the government’s missions and the industries of the future. Through the creation of its new app, the government is simplifying apprentices’ journey with a ‘one-stop shop,’ bringing tools, resources and support to apprentices’ fingertips.

In a landmark reform, bringing English & Maths in line with other qualifications, Labour unlock apprenticeships for up to ten thousand more young people, including in Crawley.

On a visit to Gatwick’s Apprenticeship Scheme Peter Lamb championed these interventions and said:

“An apprenticeship is a great way to start your working life, learning skills which will support you the whole way through your career, and the labour Government is working to make them even better. Crawley is fortunate to be home to many large employers, providing a whole host of apprenticeship opportunities for local young people. Why not take a look at what is on offer locally and take your first steps into your new career?”