Shropshire's High Sheriff backs Ladder for Shropshire

He said he wanted to use his time to promote the interests of young workers – and focus on small business.

It is a commitment he has backed up in action, visiting firms across the county and speaking to young people who have started their journey in the world of work.

Mr Bland has also backed the Ladder for Shropshire appeal launched by the Shropshire Star at the beginning of National Apprentice Week.

He said: "My particular passion is going to be helping young people and focussing on small businesses.

"I also think there is a unique opportunity in the current climate for young people without jobs to be able to start their own small businesses."

The Ladder for Shropshire was launched by the Duke of York at the Shropshire Star and the High Sheriff was so impressed with the scheme that he immediately offered his help and support.

The apprenticeship proposals, which have already been a great success story as companies and young people flock to join in, are also enthusiastically embraced by Prince Andrew who is keen to promote the Ladder for Shropshire appeal encouraging apprentices and potential apprentices, as well as the businesses who see the great advantages of taking them on.

The High Sheriff who is also a well-known Shropshire businessman, passionately believes in young people, training, small enterprises and entrepreneurism.

He sees Ladder for Shropshire as a perfect vehicle for getting young people in particular up that ladder with real jobs and the prospect of long term careers.

Mr Bland said: "It's what I know about, it's my background and what I'm interested in, I have been perhaps an unusual High Sheriff."

He has actually been very good one and backed by wife Tricia, has brought his own strengths and enthusiasms to the position which he is about to vacate.

And as a leader in three businesses, Mr Bland has invaluable talents to offer in this latest and exciting apprenticeship scheme.

From 1973 when he came home after school, university and a year in the USA, he has been part of the Oakley's Group of Companies.

He became managing director in 1978 and chairman in 1987.

Today, the separate businesses are Oakley's Fuels in Telford and Tamworth and Oakley's dealing with garden and professional groundcare machinery which is based at Cressage. Mr Bland is also chairman of MWF a newer company distributing renewable energy in the form of wood chip and wood pellets across the Midlands and northern England, with a headquarters in Telford.

So he knows about business, especially smaller businesses, and has spent his working life encouraging young people and schemes to help them.

Interestingly, 65 per cent of everyone who works in Shropshire works for businesses employing fewer than 10 people. And that is why Mr Bland is keen to encourage and emphasise the importance of small businesses.

He says: "When I heard that the Shropshire Star and Prince Andrew were supporting this apprentice scheme, I was delighted and very much want to support it. The problem so many small businesses have is the amount of red tape and ensuring that training is meaningful.

"Small businesses don't have human resource departments organising things but we work with other training schemes to find young apprentices for us and we give them training on the job."

One local example he came across was a young woman in a solicitor's practice who had got to the top and was running the conveyancing department after starting off with an apprenticeship and without going to university or law school.

"She is a living example of what you can do with an apprenticeship scheme. The worst thing that happened to our country was saying that everyone should go to university, that's a disaster. If you had an apprenticeship at Rolls Royce for instance all those years ago, that was something of real value," he says.

And Mr Bland does believe that there are jobs around providing that young people are prepared to learn a skill.

He says he has been greatly heartened by his time touring businesses, schools and colleges and many voluntary organisations, adding: "I am very optimistic for the county. I am a 'half-glass-full' person anyway and I really am hopeful for Shropshire."

He also praises the Ladder for Shropshire as the perfect mechanism for young people to get their first start in business.

Mr Bland says: "The Ladder is a very good initiative and I am delighted to offer help, this is exactly what should be happening."

He also believes that ex-offenders looking to get back into a working life should be given a better chance as should former servicemen and women who must adapt to civilian life again.

He adds: "I employed an ex-offender and he is still with me 15 years on."

No wonder the new apprenticeship scheme for our young people with its added benefit to business, appeals to this man of both experience and vision.

"I take my hat off to the Shropshire Star and Prince Andrew for stepping in where help was really needed and I look forward to seeing the Ladder work," he says.