APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 2013

That this House welcomes National Apprenticeship Week 2013, run by the National Apprenticeship Service, from 11 to 15 March 2013, which aims to raise the profile of apprenticeships amongst employers, individuals, teachers, parents and the media; congratulates the 520,600 people who started an apprenticeship in 2011-12; recognises that apprenticeships help people develop the practical skills they need in the workplace; notes the valuable contribution that apprentices bring to businesses across the UK as well as their value to the wider economy; acknowledges the important role apprentices can play in providing information and advice to other young people about doing an apprenticeship; and calls on the Government to support employers to create even more high quality apprenticeship places in 2013.