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Camden News - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 27 November 2008

Councillor Chris Philp

You’re hired! Contractors are urged to take on apprentices

CONTRACTORS taking on work for the Town Hall have been urged to hire local apprentices as part of the deal.
Gospel Oak Conservative councillor Chris Philp will press for it to be made a condition of contract tendering.
He said he has been jolted into action after new unemployment figures showed that nearly 25 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds in his ward were out of work.
“We are giving out £413million of work in housing repairs contracts, so it would be no great drama for contractors to take on 20 or 50 apprentices.
“It would give them a chance to play a role in training the next generation of skilled workers. If we made it a condition of the contract tendering, then they would have to take people on.”
Cllr Philp, who is also the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn, added: “The unemployment figures for Gospel Oak and Haverstock are worrying and we must make sure that are young people are not let down.”
Cllr Philp is also organising a jobs fair to “connect” would-be workers with potential employers.
“If everybody can get together in the same room and talk to each other, we might be able to make a difference,” he said.
The idea of setting up more apprenticeships was raised by Labour councillor Roger Robinson in June.
He said: “I’ll work with anyone to get this done.”
Lib Dem councillor Janet Grauberg has also expressed support.

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