The national Apprentice Card

After many months of sustained work and campaigning, yesterday I finally launched the Apprentice Card with the National Union of Students (NUS).

In a nutshell, the card will finally put apprentices on a level playing-field with students, with the same financial benefits and discounts at highstreet shops and restaurants.

Harlow apprentices will be among the very first to benefit, as Harlow College will be among the first sixth form colleges in England to exclusively trial the scheme.

We were lucky also to have the support of Skills Minister John Hayes (see the photos above), who has welcomed the project.

Other businesses involved include GTA England, PERA, Kaplan, Harlow College and the Association of Accounting Technicians. Together these firms represent tens of thousands of apprentices, working for firms like Rolls Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, Next, JCB, and Morrisons supermarkets.

Sadly, just 28 per cent of British workers qualify to become apprentices or technically skilled. In France, it is 51 per cent. In Germany it is 65 per cent. That's why we have to boost the prestige of being an apprentice, with initiatives like the Apprentice Card. Although we are only launching a pilot scheme at the moment, the next step will be to roll this out around the country: and already any apprentice from the British Isles will be able to apply online.

I have also tabled a Parliamentary motion HERE, thanking the National Union of Students, Harlow College, and the many other apprentice organisations for helping to make this happen.


by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com