THE LEADER of an ambitious ship building project is urging more businesses to come forward and offer apprenticeships.

The Mayflower Project has the capability to provide 40 apprenticeships in Harwich after securing funding but it cannot attract enough businesses to offer work placements.

It is teaching skills in ship building, painting and decorating and construction and will soon offer business administration training. It currently has seven people on apprenticeship schemes.

But the venture cannot gain access to more funding for training until it has placed 40 people into apprenticeships.

The apprentices train one day a week at the centre in George Street and work locally for the rest of the working week. Four are currently at The Mayflower Project, while three are at local businesses.