More than 1300 apprenticeships are set to be created in Liverpool over the next three years through a new £1.1 million Community Interest Company.

The city council is pumping £800,000 into the 'Liverpool Apprenticeship Service', which is set to be approved at a Cabinet meeting on Friday 21 October following a competitive tender process.

The project will be a joint venture with Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 1700 businesses in the city. They have partnered with Liverpool Community College who are putting a further £300,000 into the scheme, and the Eldonian Group Limited.

The new Community Interest Company is part of the council’s commitment to increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities, which has already seen 635 positions created since May 2010 through a range of initiatives.

Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool's Cabinet member for Employment, Enterprise and Skills, said: "The new Liverpool Apprenticeship Service will play a significant role in creating high quality employment opportunities for people in the city.

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"I am pleased that we have been able to award the contract to the Chamber of Commerce who have an unrivalled relationship with hundreds of firms in the city.

"They will work closely with Liverpool Community College and the Eldonian Group Limited to make sure that the apprenticeships are high quality and lead to permanent employment.

"A lack of skills is the main factor in preventing residents from securing employment and that is why this scheme is so important to reducing worklessness in the city."

The scheme will be particularly aimed at 16-19 year olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET); care leavers; teenage parents; looked after children; young offenders; residents from disadvantaged communities and black and minority ethnic groups.

The employers targeted will include sectors that do not have a high take up rate of apprenticeships, and those in areas which are a priority for the City Region such as the Low Carbon Economy.

A minimum of at least 250 apprenticeships will be created in the first year.

Tony McGann, Vice Chair of the Eldonian Group Limited - which works on social, physical and regeneration projects in the Vauxhall area of north Liverpool - said: "The Eldonians are absolutely delighted with the news that Liverpool City Council is creating 1300 apprenticeships across the City.

"We are hopeful that many of the apprenticeships will be taken up by people from the North End of Liverpool and will give young people aged between 16 and 24 an opportunity that will lead to permanent employment.

"It just goes to show you that despite the enforced budget cuts and against all the odds, Liverpool City Council is still trying to make things happen in this City.

"The Eldonians will be actively encouraging our community to take up this, once in a lifetime, opportunity."

(CD/GK)