As part of the launch of National Apprenticeship Week 2016, Sharon was invited to be a part of the North-East launch at Unipres in Sunderland and gave a speech in front of staff, apprentices and young people about the great work seen by Unipres to invest in the economy and workforce on Wearside, the importance of National Apprenticeship Week, along with the benefit of young people doing an apprenticeship to help them on their path to career success.

As part of the visit to Unipres, Sharon met with various young people from local schools who were interested in doing an apprenticeship and those who are currently doing an apprenticeship at Unipres and how it has benefitted their lives. The visit also included a tour of the factory and to see the skilled workforce in action working with the machinery – including the two new presses which went live in December 2015 to accommodate the increase in demand from Nissan and other car manufacturers across the country.

Following the launch at Unipres, Sharon said:

“It was wonderful to be invited to take part in the celebrations at Unipres here in Sunderland to welcome the start of National Apprenticeship Week.

“Unipres has been a vital employer in Sunderland for 27 years now and has provided essential employment to over one-thousand people on Wearside, and the wider North-East, and it is welcome that they have been able to double their apprenticeship numbers in the last year.

“It is always important to recognise and showcase the route to a high-quality and well-paid job through an apprenticeship and I hope that this year’s celebrations in the North-East, and across the country, for National Apprenticeships Week are a success.”

You can read Sharon’s speech to the apprentices, Unipres staff and pupils from Link School and Biddick Academy here.