Apprenticeship Week 2010 launched today
Dated: 01/02/2010

Apprenticeship week 2010 is here

Apprenticeship Week 2010 is here

Apprenticeship Week 2010 launches today, kicking off a whole week of activities across England to celebrate the value and importance of Apprenticeships. To launch the week, new research has been released highlighting that employers are becoming more confident as we come out of the recession and over half are looking to take on new members of staff. Many of these staff will be apprentices.

We also launch the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers which gives an employer a grant of £2500 to take on an unemployed 16 or 17 year old and put them on an Apprenticeship. We will also see a week of announcements from companies right across England who are increasing the number of Apprenticeships they offer. Great news for learners who want to find a great way to start their career.

Key events taking place this week

There are lots of activities taking place this week to promote Apprenticeships. Some of the key events during the week include;

Ministers Iain Wright and Kevin Brennan, and Simon Waugh (Chief Executive of NAS) are launching the week with a series of radio interviews all about the new research and the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers.

On Tuesday an international seminar showcasing English Apprenticeships will be held with representatives from Spain, Finland, Sweden and Pakistan.

The Department of Health are running a reception on Tuesday in recognition of Apprenticeship Week to celebrate the success of Apprenticeships in health and social care in 2009 and to provide an impetus to drive the use of Apprenticeships for the coming year.

SkillsActive will be hosting an event at the iconic Lords Cricket Ground to showcase the value of Apprenticeships in the active leisure industry, also on Tuesday.

On Wednesday Minister Iain Wright is chairing "The great debate: The future of Apprenticeships" at Leeds City College.

The Apprenticeships Driving Business Conference is taking place on Thursday in London, with Kevin Brennan MP, Simon Waugh (Chief Executive of NAS), Rod Kenyon OBE (Director, Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network) and George Kessler CBE (Joint Deputy Chairman, Kessler's International) all speaking.

Fair Train are holding a conference on Thursday around Apprenticeships in the Third Sector.

During the week Kevin Brennan, Minister for Apprenticeships and Lord Young lead nearly 50 MPs and senior business people in going 'Back to the Floor' to meet, and work with apprentices.

Finally: "across England there are many more events taking place including job swaps, conferences, meetings, launches, announcements, receptions and apprentice challenges" click on the link below for more information
www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Awards/Apprenticeship-Week-2010