100 apprentices recruited in 100 days by Lancashire County Council

The county council – one of the leading organisations in the country for employing apprentices – secured 138 apprenticeships between September 28th 2011 and February 22nd 2012. This target was set as part of the “100 in 100” campaign, to encourage Lancashire employers to recruit 100 apprentices in 100 days.

Run by the National Apprenticeship Service, this campaign involved the county council, plus other public sector partners and a number of businesses. All these apprentices were taken on or converted through the county council’s corporate apprenticeship programme and Future Horizons Apprentice @ Your Business – a county council scheme which aims to place trainees with small and medium-sized firms.

The county council’s apprenticeship schemes have won many awards and the council is now recognised as a consultant by the National Apprenticeship Service, following the success of its schemes.

County council leader Geoff Driver said: “To take on 138 apprentices in 100 days is a superb achievement and confirms our position as one of the biggest employers of apprentices in the UK. Apprenticeships are the lifeblood of the county council and the way forward to securing and nurturing new talent for the future.

“Apprenticeships started during the 100 days have covered a number of roles from teaching assistants and mechanics, to health and social care workers and office staff. This is great as we are developing people with a wide range of specialised skills.

“Looking across Lancashire, I think it’s tremendous that more than 2,000 apprenticeships have been created through public and private sector organisations as part of this campaign. This is a huge boost for the local economy.

“We now want to build on the success of 100 in 100 and are currently advertising to recruit even more apprentices to the county council.”