The challenge to create 100 apprenticeships in 100 days is taking to the road next week.

The apprenticeship bus will be touring business parks around Medway on Thursday, 28 and Friday, 29 July to give businesses the opportunity to find out more about the challenge and how apprenticeships can benefit them.

The Medway 100 in 100 challenge, organised by Medway Council and the National Apprenticeship Service, launched in May and is aimed at creating 100 apprenticeships in 100 days.

More than 50 Medway businesses have already pledged to take on one or more apprentice as part of the challenge, which will come to an end this October.

Apprenticeships allow businesses to train staff to industry standards and 80 per cent of employers who have apprentices agree that they make their workplace more productive. (Source: http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk).

Open to anyone aged over 16, the challenge aims to attract businesses of all sizes, across all sectors, and will give job seekers a chance to gain trade skills and a recognised qualification, while earning a wage.

Details of where the bus will be stopping next week are below.

Thursday, 28 July – Medway City Estate:
9 to 11am – IPS car park (Sir Thomas Longley Road)
11.15am to 1pm – outside HE Group (Whitewall Road)
1 to 4pm – will be travelling around the site, stopping at Neptune Close and Riverside car park

Friday, 29 July:
8.30 to 10am – Knights Park, Strood (will travel around the site)
10.15am to 12noon – Rochester Airport Industrial Estate (will travel around the site)
12.30 to 2pm – Lordswood Industrial Estate (will travel around the site)
2.30 to 4.30pm – Gillingham Business Park (facilities car park, on the corner of Ambley Road and Matilda Close)

If you miss the bus, it’s easy to find out more about the 100 in 100 challenge and how apprentices can benefit your business by visiting http://www.medway.gov.uk/medway100, emailing lindsay@kato-training.com or calling 0800 7566953.