National Apprenticeship Week 2015 Launches Today

National Apprenticeship Week kicks off today. We’ll be bringing you a series of informative, interesting and hopefully inspiring features and news stories to mark the occasion. But first: what is it all about?

National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

This year NAW, co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, is all about:

- Getting more small businesses to take on apprentices

- Promoting the range and breadth of apprenticeships on offer, including at Higher level and in blue chip companies

- Celebrating apprenticeships and the level of success that learners can achieve

Here are some surprising facts about apprenticeships:

- 1,000 businesses are now involved in designing the new apprenticeship standards

- There are 1,500 different apprenticeships on offer in more than 170 industries

- The government invested £1.5bn in apprenticeships in 2013 to 2014

- Businesses see an increase in productivity by £214 a week when they hire apprentices

If you were impressed by any of those points then keep checking out our News section all week: we’ll be bringing you the essential edit for NAW 2015.

News

• A-level results 2015: record number of people taking up university places
• BT is using virtual reality technology to recruit apprentices
• A former government adviser says school leavers should get £20,000 to stay in training
• The top 50 most affordable university towns
• DAC Beachcroft Extend Apprentice Intake
• National Apprenticeship Week: essential events this March
• Stress Awareness Month: 90% of students experience stress
• Clearing 2019
• “Constant feeling of failure”: teachers think GCSEs & A-levels are damaging your health
• School Leaver Blog: university admissions, networking, journalism apprenticeships and more