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Water companies are among the employers pledging a total of 20,000 opportunities for young people as part of National Apprenticeship Week.
Anglian Water, Severn Trent Water, Thames Water and United Utilities all lent their names to a vocational training drive endorsed by leading government figures.
According to the Association of Accounting Technicians, apprentices benefitted UK businesses to the tune of £1.8 billion last year.
Business secretary Vince Cable said: “The government is putting an end to the damaging divide between vocational and academic learning. We are committing the biggest ever investment in apprenticeships and are on track to create two million apprenticeships over the course of this Parliament.
“The resounding success of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week demonstrates that apprenticeships are deservedly becoming more popular with business of all sizes. Apprentices already contribute £1.8 billion to the economy and with these further commitments, thousands more people will now be able to get the practical skills they need to build careers and help firms grow.”
A survey commissioned by the National Apprenticeship Service found 44 per cent of employers planned to offer apprenticeships in the next five years. That was up from 36 per cent when the question was asked last year.
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