Newawardswill showcase positivesofapprenticeships Spotlightison BlackCountry apprentices

Thebrand newLadderfor the BlackCountry Apprenticeship

Awards 2022 will putthe best apprentices, employersand trainingproviders in theregion firmly in thespotlight

It is beingorganisedbythe Express&Starinconjunction with theLadderfor theBlack Countryand City of WolverhamptonCouncil

TheGrand Stationin Wolverhampton city centre will host the firstawardsnightin itsGrand Hall on November3 when thewinnersofthe 11 categories will be announced.

Theawardsare open to apprenticesand organisations basedinthe Express&Starcirculation area in Wolverhampton, theBlack Countryand Staffordshire.

Theclosing date forentries forthe apprenticeship awards is September 11

Find outhow to enteronpages 28 and29.

In September2012, the MayorofLondonatthe time,Boris Johnson, launched theLadder forLondon, supported by Buckingham Palace, theEvening Standard andLondon’sProvider Network, with theaim of tackling youthunemployment throughapprenticeships.

Thetargetof500 apprenticeship pledges from employersbyDecember2012was exceeded,and the Ladderfor London progressed to thenextphase of itscampaign, encouragingemployers andschools to utilise theapprenticeshipbrand

In early2014, afterameeting with Buckingham Palace,Kevin

JOHN CORSER john.corser@mnamedia.co.uk

Davis, chiefexecutive of theVine TrustGroup andRob Colbourne, managing director of Walsall-based PTPTraining, committed to translate the‘Ladderfor’initiativetothe

BlackCountry

Campaign

In March2014, Kevinled aBlack CountrydelegationtoBuckingham Palace,which included theBlack CountryChamber of Commerce, WalsallCouncil(representingthe four BlackCountry authorities) PTPTraining(representingproviders)and akey partner, theExpressand Star newspaper,who had agreed to collaborate in forming a15-month ‘Ladderfor theBlack Country’ campaign with theaim of creating 1,000jobsthrough theapprenticeship brand.

Aftersignificant successes and recruiting in excess of 1,000 apprentices, theLadderFoundation then rolled outfresh Laddercampaigns in Shropshire, Staffordshire, GreaterBirmingham andin 2021 forCoventryand Warwickshire.

Akey themefor anyLadderproject is to engage with appropriate stakeholders andtochampionthe apprenticeship brandthathas such an impact on employers, communities andofcourseindividuals

Taking apprenticestoBuckinghamPalace, St JamesPalaceand theHousesofParliamenthavebeen some of thehighlightofthe campaignss, butthe lifechangingjobs andLadderlegaciessuchasthe Department forEducation Ladder School,ApprenticeshipSkillsHUB andAnnualApprenticeshipAwards arethe real successes

With theBlack CountryLadder beingthe launch of theLadderinitiativesinthe West Midlands and beyond,itseems only rightthat this region hasan apprenticeship awards celebrationtoshowcase all thepositivesofapprenticeships in theBlack Country.

We were delightedwhenthe Express&Startookupthe challenge to make this happen

With full backingfromindividualssuchasAndyStreet, theWest Midlands Mayor, ourpatronMP Robert Halfon whoisthe chairman of theEducation Select Committee andofcourse Martin Wright, Editorin ChiefofMidland News Association,wewill continue to utilise theLadderbrand to showcaseapprenticeshipsinthe BlackCountry andsurrounding areas.