Bosses in apprenticeships plea

The chief executive of one of the biggest private employers in the Black Country today joined top business leaders from throughout the UK to voice their nationwide support for apprenticeships.

Richard Harpin, boss of Walsall-based home emergency insurance group HomeServe, was one of more than 20 people who put their names to an open letter which included Mark Clare, group chief executive of housebuilder Barratt Developments, British Gas managing director Phil Bentley and BT group human resources director Alex Wilson.

The letter says: "Rarely does the entire business community come together passionately over one specific topic. Apprenticeships are an exception.

"We all, as leaders in business, support apprenticeships, and 85,000 of us have made a personal commitment to them - by employing apprentices in our own companies.

"The spending review recently announced funding for an extra 75,000 apprenticeship places and today we have joined forces to urge other employers to consider how apprenticeships could help their businesses.

"With 200 types of apprenticeship available at three different levels, they are an excellent way to help staff progress while building their essential skills.

"And government contributes towards training costs.

"We know that apprenticeships provide people with enhanced employment opportunities, and are a great way to learn.

"Supporting the growth of this programme will build a great legacy and ensure that we all support the business leaders of tomorrow."

Mr Harpin - whose HomeServe business employs around 1,600 people at its headquarters in Green Lane, Walsall, and is looking to create hundreds more new jobs - has revealed that over the next three years his company will be investing £1 million in apprenticeship schemes.

He said that 20 per cent of the workforce would be coming from apprenticeships by 2013.

A member of the Apprentice Ambassador Network, he is taking part in a West Midlands-wide campaign to drive home the benefits of apprenticeships to other leading organisations in the region.

This included an event where HomeServe and Cadbury hosted a meeting on apprenticeships at the chocolate maker's headquarters in Bournville, Birmingham.

"I am a great believer in running effective, long term apprenticeship schemes which have benefits not only for HomeServe but businesses across the country," Mr Harpin said.

"As we know from working with the National Apprenticeship Service, apprenticeships increase company productivity and competitiveness and reduce staff turnover," he added.