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A variety of businesses have used the current National Apprenticeship Week to announce over 20,000 new opportunities for young people in the UK.

Companies including finance giant Lloyds Banking Group, coffee chain Starbucks and mobile & internet firm EE, have pledged thousands of new apprenticeship jobs during the annual week long showcase which is designed to promote the use of apprenticeship schemes.

Bar and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers also promised hundreds of new apprenticeship jobs, so young people could start out in a catering career at one of their chains, which include All Bar One, Harvester restaurants, O’Neills pubs, Sizzling Pubs and Toby Carvery.

It isn’t just the big companies that are creating all of the new apprenticeships either. Small and medium sized companies will contribute around half of the new opportunities that will be made available for young people in the United Kingdom.

Matthew Hancock, the minister for skills and enterprise, said it was important for the government and businesses to help get young people ‘work-ready’ - and that the new apprenticeships announced this week are a fantastic way to make that happen.

“We want to make going to University or into an Apprenticeship the new norm, and over half of young people say they would like to do an Apprenticeship if one were available. So it’s great that as National Apprenticeship Week 2014 comes to a close we can announce that 20,432 new positions are to be created,” said Mr Hancock, adding that the number of apprenticeship opportunities is increasing at a record rate.

Emphasising just how important apprenticeship are, Business Secretary, Vince Cable, said: “Apprentices already contribute £1.8 billion to the economy and with these further commitments, thousands more people will now be able to get the practical skills they need to build careers and help firms grow.”

Mr Cable added that the ‘resounding success’ of National Apprenticeship Week this year showed that apprenticeships are getting increasingly popular with companies of all sizes, and said that the Government was committed to ending the ‘damaging divide between vocational and academic learning.’

If you are considering apprenticeship or school leaver programme as an alternative career path university then you should check out our latest entry level job vacancies now. You should also read our guides to what apprenticeships and school leaver programmes are and where you can find the best opportunities. Get the complete heads up now with our detailed information pages:

• What Are Apprenticeships?
• What Is A School Leaver Programme?