The Leadership Through Sports programme aims to assist young adults to become leaders and ambassadors in their communities by creating life-changing opportunities. It has definitely made a difference to my life.

Just a year ago I was a Year 13 prefect studying ICT, French & Business; now my title is Apprentice Software Developer at Sky! For anyone unsure of where their career will take them, you'll be amazed at what can change in twelve months!

Schools and colleges will be judged on how many sixth-formers gain good vocational qualifications, it was announced on Monday. Ministers have revea...

Poorer students who achieve top marks in their GCSE exams will receive a "well done" letter from ministers, it has been revealed, prompting accusation...

Although public opinion still seems to hold higher education in greater regard than apprenticeships, evidence suggests this is partly due to the lack of information people receive.

Throughout my time in education, apprenticeships were perceived to be for people who were not academic or motivated enough to go to university; they were and still are perceived to be second rate.

The generation we need to inspire has never needed us more. The UK has experienced the fastest rise in youth unemployment of any country in the G8 since the start of the recession. Today, nearly one million young people are struggling to start careers or even find any work at all. At the same time, employers struggle to recruit entry-level candidates with the right skills. Last year, a staggering one in four businesses didn't recruit a single young person. The legacy of the Games will be failure if we don't create opportunities for this generation to be successful.

With National Apprenticeship Week 2013 just behind us, it's a perfect time to reflect on the success that Apprenticeships have enjoyed over the past few years. Apprenticeships are becoming ever more popular, with both employers and learners attracted to the excellent career prospects they provide.

These are the girls who need to be convinced of their ability, and shown the opportunities that are there for the taking. To reach them all, we need to turn International Women's Day into a year-round campaign that champions women's leadership, and shows girls that they can achieve any career if they want it enough.

The manner in which the government is seeking to introduce apprenticeships serves only to polarise the debate, ensuring that young people are either classified as 'apprenticeship' material, or are left to join the ranks of thousands of graduates competing for the grossly limited number of entry-level jobs.

I wanted a job which combined the hands on element of working with vehicles and electronics and an active lifestyle where I can get out and about, play sport, and stay fit and active. When I was looking around for these types of jobs there were not that many so when I saw the advert for Army apprenticeships.

I think as a young person starting their first job, a smaller company is a great setting to work within because you really feel like part of the team. From my interview with the CEO to my inclusion in day to day operations, I have felt like a valued member of the Thomsons team.

So many people who are around the same age as me are finding it hard to get into a job, let alone one that gives you the chance to gain nationally-recognised qualifications. Keeping up with my education has always been really important to me, but it is not always easy to do.

Careers advice is letting young people down, a report has warned, saying the majority have not been told about apprenticeships. Less than 10% of un...

Being selected to work on the team was intense - CVs, interviews and technical assessments - but well worth the effort to be a part of history. My branch of the Army (REME) are experts in repairing and maintaining all of the Army's kit, and I do mean all of it - tanks to trucks; pistols to Apache helicopters!

If Britain is to rebuild and sustain a vibrant engineering industry, we must wake up to global reality. We must act, and rapidly. Figures show that India and China far outstrip us in producing talent in this sector - but I first heard these kinds of statistics ten years ago.

A typical day involves learning the theory side in the morning, before moving to the aircraft hangar in the afternoon to put that theory into practice. A recent example involved removing, inspecting and refitting the engine of a Gazelle helicopter.

School leavers should be expected either to get an apprenticeship or to go on to study for a university degree, David Cameron said on Monday. Launc...

I didn't do an apprenticeship, but I did a close second, which was a trainee scheme offered by my first employer. Six months of constant mentoring and moving around different roles, learning how things ticked and why my efforts made a difference to both me, my colleagues and the company.

The rise in apprenticeships is "deceptive", according to Lord Adonis, who warns there is a "black hole" for thousands of young people. In an exclus...

There is a compelling need for more - and better - youth apprenticeships. Long-term youth unemployment is rising as fast as university tuition fees, yet employers are complaining of a lack of skilled labour. It is because there is a black hole of no education and no work-related training into which over a quarter of a million young people are falling every year.