Unite says that although it welcomes the careers fair and describes it as a “positive influence” for young people at a crucial time of their lives, the union would also like to see the return of training schemes for young people to develop their skills.

A spokesperson said: “We believe everyone deserves the right to work and integrate into our society. Unite is calling on government to implement our recently completed apprenticeships document.  This will secure what Unite the Union has been demanding for some time now. Our proposals will ensure that the youth of our community are equipped with the necessary skills to compete in the jobs and labour markets.

“With Brexit looming, the issue of good quality apprenticeships has become more relevant than ever. The young members of Unite together with Unite’s apprenticeships committee are also calling for an apprenticeships fair to be held in Gibraltar. An apprenticeships fair where employers, training providers, schools, The College of Further Education, and Government would promote the apprenticeships opportunities.

“In UK, some apprenticeship fairs are huge events and are held at local schools and further education colleges, why not in Gibraltar? At an apprenticeships fair, students encounter a collection of exhibition stands which are manned by representatives from companies and other organisations that offer apprenticeships. This would give our youth in Gibraltar the opportunity to ask questions and figure out which apprenticeships appeal to them, which subjects could they do apprenticeships on, how to go about doing apprenticeships, or what apprenticeship is right for them. It is a great way to get an insight into life in their industry of choice, to ask any questions that they may have, to learn more about company’s cultures, and to find out what is expected of apprenticeships applications.

“We need to ensure apprenticeships are open to candidates from all backgrounds whether they have special educational needs or disabilities. We should be working for an inclusive and open culture in recruitment and employment practices and that Gibraltar provides the best possible support for the aspiring candidates; our future.”

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