Sugar to help spice up Apprenticeships

(L-R) Ed Balls MP, Sir Alan Sugar, and John
Denham MP

Self-made business leader and star of TV’s The Apprentice, Sir Alan Sugar, is the face of a new national Apprenticeships campaign and is showing his support by hosting a special one-off event in Leeds. During his visit to Yorkshire on 4 March 2009, Sir Alan will highlight the benefits of taking on apprentices to employers and championing work-based qualifications.

Sir Alan Sugar said: ‘Young people need choices that motivate them - not everyone who leaves school at 16 has the drive to succeed that I did. The fact is that some people learn better on the job or by seeing how their learning applies to the real world – that’s why I’m backing Apprenticeships.’

‘People who do Apprenticeships become ambitious, they’re ‘doers’, the kind of people who will make things happen. These are the qualities I look for in people. Success is all about finding people like this – people who will help make any business grow, especially in times like these. It’s important that employers take Apprenticeships seriously – apprentices make things happen and can help a business to grow and thrive.’

Sir Alan will be joined at the Royal Armouries in Leeds by Ed Balls MP and John Denham MP, to offer Yorkshire employers the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of how Apprenticeships work and could benefit their own businesses as well as the chance to pose questions and voice their opinions on the current Apprenticeship service.

A special exhibition area will give employers the opportunity to meet employers and apprentices already participating in Apprenticeship programmes and learn more about the wider government skills and learning initiatives that are available to help businesses succeed in the current economic climate.

To see the advert featuring Sir Alan Sugar click here.