I strongly believe in the importance of political engagement amongst young people. Prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, each year I have welcomed groups of young people from across the constituency to Parliament.
I have regularly hosted an annual school leaders lunch, bringing together young people from secondary schools all across the constituency, to discuss their future aspirations and to answer questions about Parliament or the constituency.
I strongly support apprenticeships and traineeships for young people, particularly given the tough economic pressures caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. Apprenticeships give young people the opportunity to learn a valuable skill while earning at the same time but they can also raise the productivity of the businesses they join and I have always been proud to support them. Over the past few years, I have met apprentices from Skipton Building Society both in the constituency and in Westminster. The Building Society is the biggest employer in my constituency and their apprenticeship scheme allows school leavers and graduates to experience a number of roles within the company over the course of three years.
