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It's time to celebrate apprenticeships

National Apprenticeship Week celebrates apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

The week (3 to 7 March) is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service and makes a positive contribution to support and grow the UK economy.

The objectives of National Apprenticeship Week 2014 are to:

Great Apprenticeships

The overarching theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2014 is ‘Great Apprenticeships’: ‘Great Businesses’ are made by apprentices and apprenticeships lead to ‘Great Prospects’.

It is about demonstrating that apprenticeships are great for businesses, personal careers and creating opportunities for both employers and apprentices.

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, said:

As we kick off National Apprenticeship Week it’s good to see that employers are increasingly recognising the value apprentices can bring to their businesses. Apprentices are now a key and valued part of the workforce for most businesses large or small - and the huge increase which this Government has overseen is one of my proudest achievements.

Given the grant available to help small businesses take on apprentices, it’s especially good that so many SMEs are embracing apprenticeships in the coming years and that apprentice recruitment now forms a key part of a businesses’ plans for sustainable growth.

The National Apprenticeship Service is part of the Skills Funding Agency which funds skills training for further education (FE) in England.

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