I met with a Stourbridge apprentice in Westminster at an event to celebrate those who are involved in the aerospace and defence industries.
I joined my boss, the Secretary of State for Education, Gillian Keegan, who I am Parliamentary Private Secretary to, at ADS’s annual apprenticeship reception.
Around 60 apprentices from companies like Rolls Royce, Lockheed Martin and Collins Aerospace were there, including Josh Siddall-Poyner - an apprentice from Stourbridge working for Collins Aerospace in Marston Green.
He is in his final year of his degree-level apprenticeship and he works with military and civilian aircraft on complex safety operations.
Josh also got to meet Gillian - a former apprentice herself - and spoke to her about what his work at Collins involves.
It was a pleasure to meet Josh at this event with the Education Secretary and discuss his apprenticeship and what he wants for his future.
The government is committed to expanding apprenticeships and vocational training to benefit young people in Stourbridge and across the country.
Top-quality training and opportunities like Josh’s are what the country needs to compete on the global stage and I was very impressed with what I saw and heard.
ADS is the trade association for aerospace, defence security and space. The sector employs 20,000 apprentices and is worth £37bn to the economy.
