Apprenticeship Week 2009 starts this week in an attempt to draw attention to the government scheme.
Following a series of television commercials featuring Amstrad founder Sir Alan Sugar, a week of events has been organised by the Learning and Skills Council to call on employers and business to become involved in apprenticeship programmes.
Last week, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it would recruit nearly 200 new engineering apprentices over the next two years. The MoD Defence Equipment and Support site in Bristol, which employs 7,500 staff, is looking to hire 170 more apprentices by 2012 to work on some of the UK’s “most advanced” engineering and equipment projects.
However, last year a select committee report cast doubt on whether the Learning & Skills Council (LSC) would be able to secure enough apprenticeship placements for the youngsters who want them.
