An apprenticeship recruitment event hosted by Shipley College attracted hundreds of visitors last week.

Apprenticeships Unlocked offered people the chance to find out more about local apprenticeship opportunities and the many vacancies available across the Bradford district to connect companies with potential new employees.

The venue, Victoria Hall in Saltaire, was filled with employers from sectors such as IT & Digital, Manufacturing, Public Services and Engineering, offering visitors a wide range of vacancies and careers to choose from.

Training providers including SkillsHouse Bradford were also able to provide expert personalised advice to those looking into starting a career with an apprenticeship.

Shazad Shah from iTax Accountants was among the employers who attended to give visitors a greater understanding of the apprenticeships they offer said, “At iTax Accountants, we believe in investing in the next generation, and events like these are crucial steps towards building a brighter future together.”

Paige Smith from Specsavers explained that, “It was nice to be able to inspire the younger generation into thinking of the other career paths and possibilities within different companies such as ourselves. It was also great to connect with other companies and hear about their ways of offering sustainability to the apprentices coming in through their doors and will help us build on what we have here in Specsavers.”

Sonia Patel, Business Engagement Officer at Shipley College explains, “Apprenticeships are a great option for people of any age – they can get hands-on experience in their preferred field, earn a salary and gain a valuable qualification all at the same time. We find that lots of our apprentices also end up being offered full-time employment.”

The event is an annual networking and recruitment opportunity for people across the Bradford district and was held in collaboration with SkillsHouse, Keighley College, Bradford College, West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges and Bradford District CTE.