MORE than a dozen businesses involved in the £1billion transformation of Manchester Airport have signed a pledge to recruit apprentices to work on the project.

A target of 150 apprenticeships has been written into main contractor Laing O’Rourke’s Legacy Agreement on the scheme - designed to ensure it leaves a lasting positive impact on local people and the economy.

So far 34 apprentices are working on the project, all of who are from the Greater Manchester area.

In addition, 69 per cent of the workforce on the project live within a 35-mile radius of the site, and 76 per cent of subcontractors working on the transformation are based within a 35-mile radius.

Work on the scheme will ramp up over the summer period, with more and more suppliers winning work on the project.

Andrew Cowan, CEO of Manchester Airport, said: “As well as producing an airport that our passengers and partners can be proud of, it’s hugely important to us that our transformation programme creates lasting benefits to all of our region.

“As work continues at pace on the scheme it’s great to see so many of our contractors signing up to our apprenticeship commitment.

“I look forward to seeing apprentices from a range of backgrounds working on site in the weeks and months ahead.”

Laing O’Rourke project director, Bryan Glass said: “We’re wholly committed to this project having a lasting legacy in the local area. We’ve set ourselves ambitious targets and have made a positive start so far.”

The apprenticeship commitment comes on the back of news Manchester Airport is holding an event to encourage job-seekers from across Greater Manchester to access more than 600 roles available on its site.

Job-seekers from across the region are invited to attend on Thursday, April 26 at Lancashire County Cricket Club’s The Point complex from 10am to 4pm, to learn more about the roles.

Those wishing to attend can register for an hour’s time slot by visiting manchesterairport.co.uk/jobsfair

As well as roles with Manchester Airport, other employers recruiting include Swissport, Boots, HMSHost, Thomas Cook Airlines, Jet2.com. Jobs available include cabin crew, pilots, retail assistants, security officers, drivers and customer service agents.