25 January 2012
Peter Aldous MP for Waveney and Jobcentre Plus jointly hosted a seminar on Friday 13th January 2012 at the Town Hall in Lowestoft to help get young people in Waveney into employment and to ensure local young people have the skills needed for the growing offshore renewable energy sector.

At the seminar leading employers were invited to hear contributions from speakers focused on encouraging them to offer apprenticeships and informing them of the help available.

The event was attended by over 40 local businesses and organisations with pledges made on the day to support: sector based work academies, work experience, host workplace visits, offer apprenticeships, mentoring and offers of jobs.

Speakers at the event included: David Baldry, Senior Operations Manager for the East Anglian District, Job Centre Plus, who focused on the Youth Contract and Get Britain Working; Paul Moss from Waveney District Council who talked about the potential of the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Enterprise Zone; Simon Summers of Lowestoft College and James Reader and Cheryl Willis who spoke about the Enterprise Lowestoft programme; and Glen Moore from the National Apprenticeship Service and Mark Jones of AKD Engineering who spoke about apprenticeships.

Speeches were followed by a short question and answer sessions and networking and all the employers were given a questionnaire asking how they might be able to offer jobs or work based training to the areas young people.

Mr Aldous is following up the meeting asking for feedback from the employers about the value of the event and what they have been able to achieve as a result of the information gained at the event.

Peter Aldous said:

“I was pleased to organise and co-host this important event to help ensure local employers have the information they need to help them provide young people with apprenticeships and work based learning. The Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Enterprise Zone will help drive growth in the offshore renewable sector and it is essential that our young people have the opportunity to take up the jobs on offer.”