Nottingham North MP Alex Norris met new trades apprentices at the HomeServe Apprenticeship Academy this week.

The Labour MP for the Bulwell area, where the academy is based, took a whistle-stop tour of the training academy with HomeServe CEO John Kitzie and COO John Hunter.

The 12 gas engineering apprentices he met were successful candidates picked from 5,000 applicants seeking the opportunity to work with home repairs and improvements firm HomeServe, earlier this year.

Alex said: “It’s impressive to see companies like HomeServe taking the lead and investing in high quality future skills. We’re in the middle of a national skills crisis so we need to see more firms stepping up to the plate to train the next generation.

“Learning a trade offers these young people the opportunity to earn a good wage and often to change generational fortunes – and there’s no doubt these are key skills we will need as we transition away from a carbon-based economy.”

HomeServe CEO John Kitzie said: “Investing in future talent is a key strategy for HomeServe and it’s wonderful to see these impressive young apprentices learning new skills and being mentored by experienced operators from within our business.

“No business is exempt from its key responsibilities to build the skilled workforce of the future.”

Helen Booth, Director of the Apprenticeship Academy, said: “It was great seeing Alex chatting to our apprentices and taking a keen interest in what we’re doing here.

“You can’t escape the news that we’re in the middle of a skills crisis and we all need to invest in future UK employment.  Apprenticeships are a brilliant way to do that and the incentives and funding available right now are the best they’ve ever been.

“Apprenticeships offer high quality training that can set young people up for the rest of their lives and build the skills base the economy needs.”

For more details about trades apprenticeships contact Ryan Pearson on ryan.pearson@homeserve.com.