Companies have pledged to hire over 50 apprentices as part of the Kick Start Kent campaign, being run by the KM Group.

The commitments came at two employment fairs held by MidKent College for National Apprenticeship Week.

Bosses from eight firms signed a pledge form to say they would take on at least one young person as an apprentice, totaling 54 apprenticeships.

More than 700 students attended the two fairs on Wednesday and Thursday at the college’s Medway and Maidstone campus, meeting more than 40 employers.

Principal Sue McLeod used the events to announce her commitment to help the KM Group double its target for the Kick Start Kent campaign, which aims to encourage companies to take on apprentices.

The initiative now aims to link up 100 companies with an apprentice within the year and is well on its way to getting its first people in work through the scheme after the pledges announced today.

MidKent College assistant principal Peter Webb said: “We’re absolutely delighted that so many local employers have agreed to take on an apprentice as a direct result of the Kick Start Kent campaign and our call to action.

“We now look forward to working closely with these employers to see their pledges through to fruition, so that they can benefit from the numerous advantages that apprentices can bring to an organisation.

“What’s more is that the employers’ fairs themselves were again extremely successful and gave lots of students an insight into the wide range of careers and apprenticeships that are available to them.”