The Express & Star, which already backs Ladder for the Black Country, is fully behind the efforts to encourage people into apprenticeships in the county.
Each Thursday, the newspaper will be featuring the stories behind all the businesses and training organisations that will be opening the doors to careers opportunities for the next generation of apprentices.
Kevin Davis, the foundation chairman, explained: “Much good work has been done by the Ladder Apprenticeship Foundation but the need for its support is now greater than ever before.
“We have gathered together an eclectic mix of public sector, industry, training providers and of course local media, to collaborate on the latest Ladder initiative at a time of profound economic and social mobility challenges.
“The foundation has its roots in a 2012 newspaper campaign in London, which was set up to address the crisis seen at the time for youth opportunities.
Next phase
“Now with recruiting the right people, with the right skills being paramount for Staffordshire, this next phase of the region’s Ladder campaign focuses not just on people entering the first but also new rungs of the employment Ladder.”
Rob Colbourne OBE, chief executive of Performance Through People, which has one of its bases at Ridings House, Eastern Way, Hawks Green, Cannock, said: “Nearly 10 years ago, a brief discussion around bringing an apprenticeship initiative to the Black Country, highlighting the benefits of the apprenticeship brand to employers, individuals and communities through a high-profile media campaign, was born.
“Eight years after the official launch, if someone would have said to Kevin and myself that the concept will have expanded into Shropshire, Greater Birmingham, Staffordshire and Coventry and Warwickshire and will have seen over 5000 apprenticeship starts, over £1m worth of positive apprenticeship editorial, a Dept for Education funded new build Ladder School and more, we would have probably looked at them with disbelief.
New chapter
“With Staffordshire Council now supporting a phase two Ladder for Staffordshire campaign, we are very excited about the next Ladder chapter throughout Staffordshire.”
Express & Star Editor Martin Wright said: “When the Ladder was first launched, we were overwhelmed at the response from both employers and would-be apprentices.
“The current economic situation has once again brought the issue of employment to the very top of the agenda, making the latest Ladder initiative so important.
“We are proud to have been a big part of the success of the campaign and look forward to helping make a positive contribution to encouraging a new wave of apprenticeships to be created in Staffordshire.”
