Alegacyfromthe Ladderfor theBlack Country

KevinDavis,the chairman of the LadderApprenticeshipFoundation,explainsthe importance of theLadderfor theBlackCountry Apprenticeship Awards 2022: My earlycongratulationtoall thenomineesand eventual winners!

As chairman of theLadderApprenticeship Foundation,Iamso pleasedthe Ladderawardsare coming to theBlack Country, in thefantastic venue of WolverhamptonGrand Station.

In 2014,wetranslatedthe Ladderfor London newspapercampaigntothe BlackCountry,and subsequently Shropshire,Staffordshire, andBirmingham,facilitatingthe creation of thousands of newapprenticeships through ourpartnershipswithnewsgroups likethe MidlandNewsAssociation

With theLadderfor Coventry andWarwickshirelaunchedlast year,wehavegreat ambitions, to addressthe skills, andjobschallenges of ourtime.

With thehelpofour patrons, we will span acrossthe country with aview, throughour Ladder forEngland Campaign,togoon to newCombinedAuthority/Metro mayoralty areas, leavingwehope, alastinglegacy.

In theBlack Country, we are grateful to thetrainingprovider networks,the BlackCountry Local Enterprise Partnership, WolverhamptonCityCouncil,and no less theMNA andits Express&Startitle, becausethe Ladderlegacyonly works becauseofthiscollaboration –our biggestand extensiveinitiative yet.

Iamsopleased that theBlack CountryApprenticeshipAwards, likeits otherMidland’s counterparts, will be oneofthose legacies, alongsidethe openingofWalsall’s newLadderSchoolbuilding, a multi-million poundalternative provisionthatwill be supporting some of themostdisadvantaged students, that need atailored approach to both teachingand learning.

TheLadderApprenticeship Foundation is, throughthisseason, championing the‘Ladderof Opportunity’ –the mobility of learners through, educationand work.

We believea diversity of apprenticeshipsare akey factor towardsa more mobile,and just society.

This is more so thecasegiven thecoronavirus pandemic’s disproportionateimpactonsome of thosecommunities,and we have to addressthatmisbalance, andthe challengeofmatchingvacancies to thepotential apprenticesinthe area.

Theseawardswill magnifythe best of thosechampioningthiseffort andItrust,beaveryenjoyable nightfor all.

We detail allthe categories andthe businesses andorganisations that aresponsoring theminthissupplement.

Afreshsupplementwill be featured in thenewspaper just before theawardsthatwill detail allofthe finalistswho will each receivetwo complimentary ticketstothe awards