Youngsters are being failed, claims MP John Healey

“People want to learn new skills to get new jobs, or progress at work but they are being failed, unable to find the training opportunities they need to help secure a future for themselves and their families.”

MP JOHN Healey says young people are being “let down” and “failed” after apprenticeship placements fell enormously in recent years.

The Wentworth & Dearne MP has called on the government to improve opportunities for young people in his constituency, where there were 740 apprenticeships and traineeships taken up last year, compared to 1,130 in 2010.

Apprenticeships fell in Rotherham and the Rother Valley by 450 and 210 respectively.

Mr Healey said young people were unable to secure a future for themselves or their families because they were being “denied” the opportunities to learn new skills and progress.

“Our community has been let down by the government for the past 12 years leading to a fall in the number of training opportunities available for young people and adults,” he added.

Mr Healey said Labour would give businesses “the flexibility they need to train people up with new skills and embed essential digital and life-skills across the school curriculum”.