National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) 2023 marked the 16th annual celebration of apprenticeships. Each year, the week aims to bring together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. It aims to raise awareness of the many benefits apprenticeships can offer to young people.

At City Gateway, we offer a range of apprenticeship opportunities to our learners. Working closely with our employer partner network, we ensure that our learners understand the role, their responsibilities and provide the support they need to be able to apply.

On 7th February, City Gateway hosted a special event for our learners and our employers.

We invited all the participants to:

  • hear from real life apprentices
  • find out where their skills can take them
  • learn more about different employers or sectors
  • work out the right route for employment

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we asked a few of our apprentices to tell us about their experiences.

We asked them all about:

  • why they’re doing an apprenticeship
  • how it’s helped them decide their future career options
  • any challenges they’re facing
  • the best bits about being an apprentice
“Being an apprentice has given me so many new experiences and opportunities while also continuing my education. I feel the work I do actually makes an impact, and it gives me a new sense of fulfilment.” – Michaela

We were joined by Amy Reid from our Skill Up Step Up partner, The London Community Foundation. Following the success of this event, Amy wrote an article to cover how apprenticeships impact young people especially during the cost-of-living crisis. Read the full story here.

In this article, Amy mentions how young people are always in dilemma around apprenticeship vs full time job opportunities.

“For a young person who needs to support their family through the cost-of-living crisis, the choice between a supermarket job that pays £11/hour, or an apprenticeship paying the apprenticeship minimum wage of £4.81/hour is a difficult one. They are having to choose between a future they aspire to and the need to make ends meet right now.” – Jenny Jordan, Head of Marketing and Outreach

Since the pandemic, more and more people are leaving school without a pass in English and maths, and such has been the demand for our route to employment courses and our programme has grown by over 1,000%.

If you or someone you know would benefit from apprenticeship opportunities, please get in touch by clicking the link here.