National Apprenticeship Week 2020 launches today, with hundreds of events taking place across England to celebrate diversity in apprenticeships and the benefits they bring

#LookBeyond with an @apprenticeship this #NationalApprenticeshipWeek

• Hundreds of stakeholder events take place across England
• Use #AskAnApprentice and #AskAnEmployer online Q&A’s to share insights of apprenticeships with the wider community
• Push for the apprenticeships community to support social media activity

Business meetings, open days, celebration events and parents evenings all being held in workplaces, schools and training providers premises across the country. For the first time, National Apprenticeship Week includes weekend activity, with many employers opening their doors to young people and their parents at open day events.

National Apprenticeship Week, now in its 13th year, is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the benefits of apprenticeships. This year, the theme ‘Look Beyond’ celebrates the diversity in apprenticeships today. Bringing the whole apprenticeship community together, the Week celebrates the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy.

For those individuals and employers looking to find out more about apprenticeships, current and past apprentices, and apprentice employers will support online Q&A sessions to answer questions about apprenticeships.

Individuals interested in finding out about apprenticeships can join the #AskAnApprentice Q&A on Twitter on Wednesday 5 February, whilst employers interested in finding out more about the business benefits in recruiting apprentices can join the #AskAnEmployer Q&A on Thursday 6 February. Both Q&A’s run from 12 to 2pm. Just follow the relevant hashtag on Twitter to be part of the conversation.

Making a splash across social media on launch day, the apprenticeship community are asked to support the Week by:

• sharing the launch tweet – a film featuring brilliant past and current apprentices and apprentice employers, celebrating apprenticeship diversity
• adding the ‘We’re fired up’ badge to social media profiles
• taking part in the ‘Making Impact’ social media series
• join #AskAnApprentice or #AskAnEmployer Q&A sessions
• host or attend an event and show your support for apprenticeships

Keith Smith, Director, Apprenticeships Group, ESFA said:

“There is much to celebrate in apprenticeships and National Apprenticeship Week gives the whole apprenticeships community opportunity to showcase the many brilliant apprenticeships available in England today.

“It is fantastic to see so many events taking place across England I am enthused to be invited to such a variety of events this Week. There’s also lots happening across social media! Let’s all get behind apprenticeships and celebrate the opportunities apprenticeships present to fire up careers.”