The majority of businesses which employ apprentices believe they make a positive contribution to the company, according to research conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce and the National Apprentiship Service.
UK employers are expecting to hire thousands of apprentices in 2010 and the government is encouraging all businesses to take up the new Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE) scheme, which offers a £2,500 grant for each 16- or 17-year-old apprentice taken on.
Apprenticeships in the hospitality industry, for example, are on the rise, with over 17,000 apprentices starting in the last 12 months.
Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White has embraced the scheme. Last year he took on 15 apprentice chefs.
In my opinion an apprenticeship is a passport to a future career. Apprenticeships are the future.
Marco Pierre White, Michelin-starred chef
“In my opinion an apprenticeship is a passport to a future career. Apprenticeships are the future," says Pierre White.
However, not all sectors are able to make the most of the opportunity. With many manufacturing companies still closing down through lack of affordable financial support, there are fewer places left for thousands of 16-24 year olds to get into the sector according to website Manufacturingtalk.com.
