YORK has seen a surge in the number of apprenticeship vacancies advertised each week with figures now about double pre-pandemic levels.

There are about 200 vacancies being offered weekly in a wide range of sectors, including retail, hospitality and tourism.

A new apprenticeship update report will be considered by City of York Council’s executive member for economy and strategic planning, Cllr Andrew Waller, on Wednesday, October 20.

It sets out the actions taken by the council’s apprenticeships and skills teams to support employers and residents as the city continues its recovery following the Covid crisis.

York council has continued its commitment to invest in apprenticeships, within the authority and across the city.

The authority currently has 53 apprenticeships underway, supporting succession planning and upskilling existing staff members of all ages.

It has also made significant progress in enabling other local organisations to benefit from its Apprenticeship Levy funding.

The levy is a Government funding system that requires larger businesses to set aside a proportion of their monthly payroll bill to fund the training and assessment of apprenticeships.

After inviting other local employers to apply for a transfer of funds from the council’s levy, £75,000 worth of transfers have been agreed to support apprenticeship opportunities across six organisations.

Cllr Waller, said: “The strength of York’s apprenticeship offer is in its range and diversity and we are seeing that more than ever this year. The number of apprenticeship opportunities is higher than we’ve seen for some time with placements available in a wide range of sectors from construction and hospitality to early years childcare, healthcare, IT and digital.

“Officers within the council have worked hard to help young people starting on their careers, and those who needed to retrain, and this has helped teams within the council to fill vacant posts and help deliver frontline services.

“I’m particularly pleased to see the progress we’ve made in increasing the amount of Apprenticeship Levy we’re using in the city, sharing £75,000 with six other organisations across York to support the development of their new and existing employees.

“I’d urge anyone who wants to get their career off to a great start, upskill, or change roles, to consider an apprenticeship.”

Find out more about the support available for individuals and businesses in York via the Apprenticeship Hub. Email york.apprenticeships@york.gov.uk

For information on job vacancies at the council visit https://jobs.york.gov.uk/