Passionate about Apprenticeships!

Alan Knight is passionate about increasing the number of construction apprentices across the Midlands.

His present role as UCATT Project Worker, which allows him to continue to help create opportunities for apprentices, is something he has been doing throughout his 15 years as the UCATT convenor at Stoke- on-Trent City Council and five years as UCATT executive Council Member.

UCATT’s campaign to increase the number of apprenticeships appears to be paying off, with Gordon Brown recently announcing plans to fund an extra 35,000 apprenticeship nationally, in recognition of the fact that young people are being particularly badly hit by the economic downturn.

Alan has seen companies taking on more construction apprentices in the Midlands. Kier has ten and Wolverhampton City Council is currently taking between five and ten construction apprentices each year. Aspire Housing also has ten craft apprentices (as well as four in business administration) after taking on six new apprentices from the local community, including one young woman.

Giving people Opportunities

He has recently enlisted the support of Stoke on Trent’s MP Joan Walley, and is now working with her to set up a conference which will highlight the need to increase the number of apprentices across Staffordshire in both the public and private sector.

“It’s about giving people opportunities,” says Alan. “Getting that call to say “We are going to take on another apprentice” is definitely the best part of my job. And I still a real buzz from seeing people I have known since they were taken on as apprentices who are now in senior management roles years later”.