BUSINESSES need to do more to recognise the value of apprenticeships according to a south Bucks MP, after statistics showed they are falling behind the rest of the country.

Only 2,050 apprenticeships have started in the Chesham and Amersham constituency since 2010/2011, the 14th lowest out of 533 across England.

The trend continues across south Bucks with all the other constituencies – Beaconsfield (2,550), Buckingham (2,720), Wycombe (3,290) and Aylesbury (4,480) – falling below the national average of 4,908.

The data has emerged during National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from March 14 – 18, and Chesham and Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan is supporting initiatives which aim to readdress the balance.

Mrs Gillan said: “I do feel that awareness needs to be fostered, especially amongst small and medium sized businesses, about the value of taking on apprentices.

“There could be instances where the first employee to be taken on could be an apprentice, passing on the skills that the employer has built up.

“I’m supporting the Thames Valley ‘Pass the Torch’ initiative which is designed to encourage more people to think about taking on apprentices.”

The former Welsh Secretary also highlighted the work of Chesham-based engineering company Silverson Machines, who currently have nine apprentices on their scheme and are looking to recruit up to six more by September.

The company built their own training centre for their apprenticeship programme which was opened by Michael Portillo back in October 2015.

Chris Ryan from Silverson Motors said: “We need to safeguard our future in an aging workforce.

“We want to guide people into the skills we need for our business, so we need to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career.

“It took a couple of years of planning and wasn’t cheap but the result is that we have a scheme which is gaining momentum and we are already getting the benefits out of it.”

Leading industry figures in the county suggested that the data might not tell the full story.

Heather Dean, Head of Skills and Business Support at Bucks Business First, said: “Across the country last year there were low numbers of students coming forward for apprenticeships for all sorts of reasons.

“First, it was the first year of the rise in participation age which meant more students were staying on at school.

“And in Chesham and Amersham there are comparatively few young people who live there. The constituency has the 30th fewest residents aged between 16 and 24 in England.

“But in order to create a vibrant work force for the future we have to ensure that young people, while still in education, are aware of the opportunities in front of them so they can make the right choices.”