ONE of the greatest difficulties facing young people in the current jobs market is the lack of provision for “real” apprenticeship schemes.

The irony was, therefore, not lost on me that in last week’s Northwich Guardian, Tory MP for Weaver Vale took out a front page advert promoting a jobs and apprenticeship fair – making it look as if this was his own personal initiative.

I think a few points about this need to be identified.

Firstly, this is not a Tory enterprise as the advert suggests but one of a number of events taking place in constituencies across the UK organised by MPs of all parties.

Under this Tory-led coalition, the number of real apprenticeships has steadily fallen since 2011.

Sleight of hand from the Tories means they use the word “apprenticeship” for the 25 and over age group who are already working for their employers and on an existing short training scheme which are re -branded as “apprenticeships”. The result, according to shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, is that there is a big spike in “apprenticeships” for the over 60s.

A future Labour government has committed to creating thousands of genuinely new apprentice opportunities for young people by insisting that suppliers on public projects offer real apprenticeship places lasting for a minimum of two years, with weekly day release off the job training.

Barbara Keelty Former careers coordinator (Bishops High School Chester) Northwich