If you’re looking for information on apprenticeships and how they work, here’s a heads-up for two major events you should attend in March this year.

The Voice of Apprenticeship Conference

In the run-up to National Apprenticeship Week Moving On magazine is sponsoring the apprentice debate, part of the Apprenticeship 4 England’s 3^rd Annual Voice of Apprenticeship Conference 2015 being held at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London from Tuesday 3^rd to Wednesday 4^th March.

Because of the upcoming General Election in May this year, the spotlight at the conference will be on skills and employment, as these issues will undoubtedly be addressed by all the political parties in their manifestos.

The conference’s aim is also to safeguard the success of career routes which offer a realistic alternative to going to university. MP Nick Boles will be headlining at the conference, in his role as Conservative Minister jointly for Innovation, Business and Skills and the Department for Education. Other key speakers will be highlighting the importance of businesses coming forward to offer their own apprenticeship schemes.

After last year’s successful event, there will also be another Apprenticeship Debate during the conference in which current apprentices will debate the future of apprenticeships and tackle the challenges faced by vocational education, such as careers advice and the perception and status of apprenticeships. The debate this year will be chaired by City & Guilds apprentices.

National Apprenticeship Week 2015

This year’s National Apprenticeship Week will run from Monday 9th March to Friday 13th March.

National Apprenticeship Week will see hundreds of events and activities taking place across England, to celebrate the positive impact apprenticeships have on young people, businesses and the British economy.

There are loads of apprenticeships available in the UK today, which National Apprenticeship Week aims to highlight. Check out the following list, to see if there is an apprenticeship career option in an area which appeals to you:

• Agriculture, horticulture and animal care
• Arts, media and publishing
• Business, administration and law
• Construction, planning and the built environment
• Education and training
• Engineering and manufacturing technologies
• Health, public services and care
• Information and communication technology (ICT)
• Leisure, travel and tourism
• Retail and commercial enterprise

During National Apprenticeship Week this year, employers, apprentices, business support organisations, learning providers, colleges and schools will host activities which will showcase the benefits of doing an apprenticeship. Currently, more than 100,000 employers in England offer apprenticeships in 200,000 locations, covering 170 industries and 1,500 different job roles, as mentioned in the list above. You can find all the information you need on apprenticeships on our dedicated apprenticeship page.

Skills Minister, Nick Boles said, “Apprenticeships deliver work for young people and adults, enabling them to learn in a real job, gaining real qualifications and a real future. They help businesses grow their own talent. National Apprenticeship Week gets bigger and better each year and we are hoping that this year is no exception. We are once again looking forward to raising the profile of apprenticeships and celebrating the important role they have in equipping people of all ages with the skills that they need to prosper in their lives.”