Walking in the footsteps of giants

A five day promotion of Apprenticeships is set to launch on Monday 23 February to highlight the crucial role apprentices play in the UK economy.

The week will include activities to help businesses recognise the benefits of Apprenticeships, a closer look at the countryís up and coming sporting greats, employer seminars with Sir Alan Sugar and much more.

Hundreds of employers, celebrities and members of the public will also don ëI Love Apprenticeshipsí badges for the week to proclaim their support for Apprenticeships.

On Wednesday 25 February various prominent celebrities, MPs and businesspeople will allow apprentices to follow in their footsteps for a day, to experience life in their chosen profession.

Former ëdragoní Richard Farleigh, entrepreneur Levi Roots, Sainsburyís CEO Justin King, David Potts from Tesco, celebrity hairdresser Joshua Galvin, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham, Schools Secretary Ed Balls and Minister for Higher Education, David Lammy are just a handful of the influential figures taking part in the week and enabling young apprentices to have a taste of life in politics, sports, business and the arts.

Sainsburyís chief executive, Justin King, said, ìAt Sainsburyís we wholeheartedly support apprentice programmes, and by April over 260 apprentices will have gone from total beginners to fully trained bakers, fishmongers and meat specialists in our stores. Their knowledge and skills will be used to serve customers on Sainsburyís meat and fish counters, as well as its in-store bakeries. We were the first major food retailer to commit to having specialist apprentices in all our supermarkets by the middle of next year - they provide people of all ages with a fresh start, an opportunity to develop their own talents, and a chance to gain recognised qualifications.î

Partners across the country are getting behind Apprenticeships and there is a huge amount of activity taking place regionally during the week involving employers, colleges, MPs, Sector Skills Councils among others.

This week of activity marks the beginning of a year-long campaign that aims to demonstrate the importance of Apprenticeships. The campaign includes the new national TV advert starring Sir Alan Sugar and also includes the sixth National Apprenticeships Awards taking place on 16th July.

Now in their sixth year, the Learning and Skills Councilís (LSC) National Apprenticeship Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the key role they play in todayís world.

This yearís Awards are set to be the best awards to date and the LSC is calling for more entries before the deadline on 27 February. The deadline falls during Apprenticeship Week, which will highlight the benefits of Apprenticeships and encourage more employers and individuals to get on board – what better time to get involved yourself?