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Young apprentices to be stars of Get In Go Far campaign which is calling on young people to start their career by choosing an apprenticeship. 

• Get In Go Far campaign to help young people kick-start their career by choosing an apprenticeship
• new survey shows around 90% of employers and apprentices are satisfied with apprenticeships
• apprentice stars will appear on billboards and TV screens across England

Apprentices across the country have been auditioning to be the stars of a new campaign that calls on young people to kick-start their career by choosing an apprenticeship.

From hundreds of talented apprentices across England, 13 were selected to be the stars of the campaign that will show young people how an apprenticeship can give them the skills and experience they need to land their dream job.

The talented young people landed work in top firms including IBM, JCB and Sellafield and will see their faces on billboards and television screens across England.

To celebrate the campaign, apprentices everywhere are being encouraged to share selfies and video clips of themselves at work on social media.

Xavier Williams

Campaign star, Xavier Williams, of Lloyds Banking Group, said:

It’s never too late to get an apprenticeship. If you are considering how to better your future then an apprenticeship would be a no-brainer. All it takes is self-confidence. I can’t recommend this route into employment highly enough.

Apprenticeships are proving their worth as a high quality option for young people who want to Get in and Go far. New figures show that around 90% of employers and apprentices are satisfied with their programme and that around 75% of employers find that apprentices improve productivity or the quality of their products and services.

But it doesn’t stop there - the survey also showed that employment outcomes for apprentices remain strong with 92% of apprentices employed around 6 months after completion and the vast majority of apprentice employers committed to providing apprenticeships in the future.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said:

In the past, talented and ambitious school leavers were too often told that university was their only option. We have transformed apprenticeships to make sure we have the right mix of skills for our future workforce.

Apprenticeships are being designed by top employers who are best placed to know the skills and experience young people need to get a job and get on. We’re committed to 3 million more apprenticeships by 2020 because we’re committed to helping our young people succeed.

The new campaign shows young people, their parents and employers that work-based routes into employment are no longer ‘second best’ to a university education and highlights the top quality opportunities available in some of the thousands of businesses. It builds on the success of the apprenticeship campaign that ran throughout 2014 and led to a 140% increase in telephone enquiries to the apprenticeships helpline and a big increase in web traffic to the government’s apprenticeship website.

Skills Minister Nick Boles said:

This campaign will show young people and their parents the incredible things you can achieve if you choose to learn while you earn. Our apprentice stars and the millions more who have already benefitted from an apprenticeship, are examples of how an apprenticeship can take you anywhere and help you rise to the top in any industry, any job and up to any level.

Daisy Coombes

Another star of the new campaign, Daisy Coombes, of JCB, said:

It’s been fun taking part in this campaign. A lot of people still question apprenticeships and say that university is the better option, so it’s been great to feel like my voice is being heard and that other people will hopefully see the options that are available for them to get qualifications and start a career as well.

Get In Go Far will feature advertising on TV, outdoor posters, digital and social channels. The advertising will direct young people online to www.getingofar.gov.uk where they will be able to find out more about the benefits and opportunities presented by apprenticeships. If they are not ready for an apprenticeship, the website will direct them to more appropriate pathways through either a traineeship or work experience.

The government is delivering on its commitment to create 3 million more apprenticeships by 2020. This year’s National Apprenticeship Week saw employers across the country pledging to create 30,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships.

• apprenticeships are available in more than 1,500 jobs ranging from engineering to fashion, software development to law
• offered by top companies like Blake Morgan and the BBC, there is more choice than ever to get the skills needed for a great job
• an apprenticeship can take you right up to degree level in a wide range of industries. First launched last year, degree apprenticeships offer the very best of vocational education with a degree while learning
• for more information on apprenticeships, traineeships and work experience opportunities as well as the apprentices that are being featured in the campaign, visit www.getingofar.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

1. The campaign will also help prepare for the introduction of the government’s youth obligation, being introduced in April 2017, which will help 18 to 21 year olds on Universal Credit apply for an apprenticeship or traineeship, gain work-based skills, or go on a work placement to give them the skills they need to move into employment.

2. The 13 apprentices involved in Get In Go Far are employed by 12 businesses who are committed to offering young people opportunities to excel. These include:
   • Accenture
   • BBC
   • Blake Morgan Law
   • Boots
   • Ginger Nut Media
   • IBM
   • JCB
   • Lloyds Banking Group
   • Premier Inn
   • Ph. Creative
   • Sellafield
   • Thales UK
3. See the Apprenticeships Evaluation 2015 – Learner Summary Report and the Apprenticeships Evaluation 2015 – Employer Summary Report.