EMPLOYERS across York, North and East Yorkshire have been celebrating workforces of the future by recognising and promoting the achievements of their apprentices.

Yesterday saw the last day of National Apprenticeship Week 2016, organised by the National Apprenticeship Service in a bid to celebrate apprenticeships and their impact on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

This year Apprenticeship Week was officially launched in York on Monday when skills minister Nick Boles visited Nestle's factory in Haxby Road.

Since then other businesses, charities and organisations across the region have been celebrating the success of their apprenticeship schemes.

In Hambleton, the district council has now helped 84 young people into work since it launched its apprenticeship programme, the Changing Lives Building Business fund, in 2012.

In the last 12 months, 27 apprentice roles were funded, with applications for the next allocation opening in April.

One of the most recent apprentices, and a winner in the council’s apprentice awards, is 19-year-old Jonty Gill at Colin Hutson Accounting Limited in Northallerton.

At Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust 76 apprentices have been employed in roles including business administration, clinical healthcare support with decontamination and pharmacy services, 37 of which have gone on to gain permanent employment with the Trust.

Outpatient Access manager Samantha Smith, said: "We are very pleased to have introduced the scheme in the department and it’s been really positive to see the progress our apprentices have made.

"The Trust benefits greatly from the flexibility and enthusiasm the apprentices’ provide as a valued part of the workforce."

In York, the Portakabin Group has announced a date for its apprenticeship seminar as it looks to fulfill its latest intake of young employees.

The event is on April 20, from 6pm to 8.30pm at the firm's headquarters in Huntington, and will include a tour of the Portakabin Group’s 60-acre international manufacturing centre, as well as the opportunity to meet and share the experiences of some of the current Portakabin apprentices on both trade and business training programmes.

Amanda Stainton, Human Resources director at Portakabin, said: "Apprenticeships give young people the opportunity to gain invaluable training and knowledge to succeed and to maximise their potential. "We have found that apprentices bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm into our business and help us to grow our own talent by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce."

Elsewhere, housebuilder Barratt Developments Yorkshire East, headquartered at Monks Cross, has launched its 2016 apprenticeship programme as part of Apprenticeship Week.

Steve Mattinson, Construction director at Barratt Developments Yorkshire East, said: "The success of our apprentices over recent years is clear – just this month Ryan Baines, a former apprentice, has been promoted to assistant site manager.

"We’re thrilled that we can offer future stars of the industry that much needed first step in their career."