National Apprenticeship Week 2016 will take place from 14th to 18th March next year, the Skills Funding Agency announced today.

The week will involve hundreds of activities and events to promote the benefit of apprenticeships and showcase apprentice employers.

Richard Harrington MP, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Apprenticeships, and joint Chairman of the new Apprenticeship Delivery Board, said:

“As part of its remit to stimulate apprenticeship growth I’m pleased to say that the Apprenticeship Delivery Board will be steering the direction of the next National Apprenticeship Week, which in 2016 will be between 14 to 18 March.

“The knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm of the Board will assist our colleagues in business, in BIS, the Skills Funding Agency and the FE and Skills sector to deliver a great week that will highlight the government’s key priorities and commitments in this area – including the drive towards three million apprenticeship starts in this Parliament and the progress of reforms to give employers control of apprenticeships.”

Last year’s week aimed to encourage more small and medium sized businesses to take on apprentices and promote the range and breadth of apprenticeships on offer, including those at higher level and within blue chip companies.

Successes included another 200 businesses joining the Trailblazer programme to design high quality apprenticeships and also the launch of degree apprenticeships.

Throughout the week a record-breaking 23,000 apprenticeship vacancies were pledged and the ambition for National Apprenticeship Week 2016 will be to beat this result.

Steff joined the HRreview editorial team in November 2014. A former event coordinator and manager, Steff has spent several years working in online journalism. She is a graduate of Middlessex University with a BA in Television Production and will complete a Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Westminster in the summer of 2015.