The National Apprenticeship Week 2022: Build the Future

The 15^th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships is currently taking place from the 7^th to the 13^th of February 2022; the aim is to bring together businesses and apprentices to “shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy”. This year’s theme is ‘Build the Future’, which reflects on how apprenticeships can help everyone to develop skills and knowledge that is required for the desired career, as well as help businesses to grow into a “talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills”. Over the course of the week, a range of activities will be taking place across England to showcase the benefits of an apprenticeship. There are over 1,200 virtual and in-person events including stakeholders, businesses, training providers, and school, so if you are interested and looking for the right resources to get you started, then read on for all the information available right here.

Booking for virtual or in-person events is easy, simply follow the link HERE to go to the Official Apprenticeships Government website and start booking for the events that interest you most! All you need to do is provide some personal details of yourself, such as name and contact information, and you are good to go. The events will provide you a deeper insight into finding the apprenticeship that is best suitable for you according to your life goals, as well as a good place to start when not knowing where you want to go at all career-wise. Additionally, you can browse as many apprenticeships as you like HERE and HERE to start looking at what you could be doing on a day-to-day basis, what benefits you will receive from the company, requirements and prospects of the job, and a little bit about the employer. Once you feel you are ready and sure of yourself and the job, you can come back and apply before the deadline.

The government website has accommodatingly provided numerous toolkits such as Student Activity Pack, Supporter Guide, Social Media Assets, Graduation Assets, and more; take advantage of these HERE and download them onto your device for free!

The Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, spoke about the week-long promotion of apprenticeships, saying, “Apprenticeships offer people of all ages the chance to earn while they learn and build a successful career, while also delivering the skilled workforce this country needs to build back stronger. National Apprenticeship Week is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and recognise the achievements of apprentices, their employers and training providers. It is great to see so many events and activities happening across the country which I hope will inspire even more people to start their apprenticeship journey.”

The Industry Talent Specialist for Channel 4, Laura Boswell, also spoke about this initiative, saying, “Apprentices have had an amazing impact across our business and bring a fresh perspective to everything we do here at Channel 4. They really challenge the status quo, and we empower them to do just that!”

Annie Cook, the NHS Career development coordinator at NHS Cromer Hospital Norfolk, added, “Apprenticeships are a real win-win for businesses, large and small. The business, the organisation, and our managers here know the value that someone who has gone through an apprenticeship brings.”

According to statistics shown on the Government website, “apprentices are leading the charge in building back stronger from the pandemic with over 40% more people starting apprenticeships in the first quarter of 2021/22 than in the same period 2020/21, which is up again from pre-pandemic levels in 2019. From delivering life-saving care in hospitals, to helping us deliver the skilled workforce this country needs, apprentices are a cornerstone of the government’s plans to level up the country, with over 5 million people starting apprenticeships since May 2010.”

If you would like to be a part of this amazing development, then check out the toolkit aforementioned and start attending events to learn more about how you could be growing in your career field; if you are starting out and do not have one yet, then develop your skills to discover your career goal, as you are sure to benefit from doing an apprenticeship that can aid in guiding you where you would like to be in the next few years!