Zoe speaks out at start of Apprenticeship Week (From Daily Echo)

Zoe speaks out at start of Apprenticeship Week

8:00am Monday 1st February 2010 in

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A HAMPSHIRE teenager has revealed why she turned her back on a place at university to become an apprentice.

Zoe Tee, 18, abandoned plans to study art at Bournemouth University and instead signed up for an apprenticeship, learning business marketing and administration through an independent financial advice firm.

Former Wildern School pupil Zoe is one of almost 240,000 nationally who started an apprenticeship last year – a record number.

Zoe, from Hedge End, completed a BTEC diploma in art and design at Fareham College.

She said: “I had lots of time to think after I left college and I decided that I didn’t want to do art but keep it as a hobby.

“Art is a very hard industry to get into. On top of that, the idea of going to university and paying fees and accommodation costs was just giving me more and more stress.”

After talking to Catch22 South East Training – a charity helping young people into careers through training programmes, skills development and apprenticeships – she was put in touch with Shirrell Heath-based Active Wealth, which was looking for help with its marketing.

“This place has given me a real head start,” said Zoe.

“I am already working in a place where I am getting the experience of what is involved in giving financial planning and investment advice to people. It is really interesting.

“I have done stuff that I would not have thought about before.”

Today marks the start of Apprenticeship Week, in which the National Apprenticeship Service hopes to celebrate the talents and achievements of apprentices, raising the profile of the schemes and challenge some of the myths surrounding them.

With around 90 per cent of apprentices offered a permanent role, there are clear benefits for both individuals and employers, especially when studies show employees who have completed an apprenticeship are typically 20 to 30 per cent more productive than those who have not.

“If you are serious about employing someone it is a very good route to go down,” said Ken Bannister, director of Active Wealth, who was an apprentice electronics engineer in his early career.

“The great thing with an apprenticeship is that it gives you a chance to mould a young person into a skilled employee, and also allows you to work with them for a year before deciding whether to make a full commitment.”