THE number of new apprenticeships in Notts rose by more than ten per cent last year.
There were 2,920 apprenticeships started in the city between September 2011 and August 2012 – up by 10.3 per cent on the previous year.
The number started in the rest of Notts was 8,510 – a rise of 13 per cent.
The increase came at a time when the Post was calling for more firms in the area to take on apprentices.
In a 100-day period last year, our Get Notts Working campaign saw 230 apprenticeships created.
And the number of apprentices taken on in 2013 in Nottingham is likely to increase further thanks to a scheme set up by the city council and the National Apprenticeship Service to help local businesses recruit trainees. This includes financial incentives as well as help for employers.
George Cowcher, chief executive of Notts and Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce, which took part in Get Notts Working, said: "Apprenticeships are an essential element of creating the workforce needed to sustain the future economy here in Nottinghamshire and employers of all sizes and from all sectors have a part to play in developing such a highly-skilled labour pool."
Among those who started an apprenticeship in 2011-12 was Stephen Radford, 18, who is at IT company Layer 3 at Nottingham Science Park, in University Boulevard.
Stephen, of Sherwood, said: "I much prefer learning in a working environment, rather than in a classroom. This is the advantage of an apprenticeship."
Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: "It's great news that apprenticeships have gone up. They are vital in the Government's drive to create a more highly-skilled workforce who are better able to compete in the global race."
David Way, chief executive of the National Apprenticeship Service, which also backed Get Notts Working, said: "Apprenticeships have much to offer and, by working closely with employers, we have come a long way in raising quality standards."