New research released to mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week has found businesses place apprentices at the heart of their plans to rise to the top and rank hiring the right staff as the most important factor in helping them grow.

Apprenticeships are at the heart of the Government’s drive to equip people with the skills that employers need to grow and compete and today’s research shows that eight in ten East Midlands managers believe apprentices are vital to their organisation’s expansion plans.

The research also showed that East Midlands managers hiring apprentices were eight times more likely to believe the company would expand rapidly, than those that don’t.

Almost two thirds (65%) of managers in growing East Midlands firms felt that hiring the right staff or having employees with the right skills was the most important factor in realising the company’s ambitions.

The new independent research for the Skills Funding Agency found that the right people and skills are 65 times more important to businesses when it comes to expansion than access to finance.

Former apprentice Ben Coope (24), of Kirkby, who undertook an Advanced Apprenticeship in Electrotechnical with Derry Building Services, Newark, During his three-year apprenticeship, was given the opportunity to work on high-profile projects such as Harry Potter World, Warner Bros Studio Tour in Leavesden.

Reflecting on his apprenticeship, Ben said: “I don’t believe I would be in my current position if I’d progressed through higher education. My apprenticeship has given me the perfect platform to positively develop personally, professionally and vocationally.”

National Apprenticeship Week launched this week with an event at London’s Shard that is designed to encourage more businesses to take on apprentices. To mark the start of the week, seven top companies are announcing major commitments to apprenticeships, including Starbucks, Prezzo, Fortnum and Mason, Deloitte, Greene King, BT and Addleshaw Goddard.

Throughout the Week, employers of all sizes will be coming together to showcase how apprenticeships help them #RiseToTheTop of their industry.

Follow @Apprenticeships, @TraineeshipsGov and #NAW2016 for all the latest news, pictures and videos.

To find out more about National Apprenticeship Week 2016, go to www.gov.uk/naw2016