A college has pledged to support the KM Group’s campaign to encourage more firms to hire apprentices.

MidKent College says it will double the Kick Start Kent initiative’s goal of getting 50 businesses to take on a young person.

The new target of 100 was announced by principal Sue McLeod at an employment fair in the institution’s Medway campus in Gillingham.

By the time students were welcomed to the event at 10am, some 15 firms had already agreed to take on an apprentice in future.

The college itself already employs 18 apprentices, and pledged to hire another five as part of the Kick Start Kent crusade.

Ms McLeod said: “Apprentices come with a real work ethic.

“Colleges are a fantastic supporter of apprenticeships. They work fantastically well for employers.

“I don’t think our college would function properly without them.

“They bring youth, energy and vitality to any business, plus a wealth of skills employers may find it difficult to get – for example they are digital natives with no fear of technology.

“We are a huge supporter of apprenticeship programmes and we want to do our bit for the Kick Start Kent campaign.”

The Kick Start Kent campaign was launched by the Km Group to highlight the benefits of hiring an apprentice.

MidKent College will hold another employment fair at its Maidstone campus tomorrow from 10am to 2pm, offering information and guidance on the best way to use apprenticeships to help business grow.

Berkeley First project manager Sean McCallion pledged to take on three apprentices through the scheme at the Medway fair.

He said: “As an industry, we know there is an ongoing shortage of skilled workers.

“The working population is ageing on average. Now it is very unusual to see a young joiner or bricklayer.

“There is a lot of available work but a shortage of the right people. Looking forward, that will only get worse.

“We need young people coming through because you cannot have 60-year-old bricklayers out there. It’s a young person’s industry with physical work.

“That is why we are putting more into hiring apprentices and teaching them more skills than today’s plumbers or electricians.”

For information on apprenticeships, click here, or email kickstartkent@thekmgroup.co.uk