The Young Apprentice Ambassador Network (YAAN) was officially launched today by Anne Milton MP at the nation’s largest skills, apprenticeships and careers event at the NEC Birmingham.
Anne Milton MP said,
“We have the regional apprenticeship networks working together nationally, the finest role models uniting that interest and enthusiasm, saying to school children ‘you can be the same as me, you can be an accomplished apprentice, there is no bounds, or limits to what you can achieve.’
The Government can only do so much, it is crucial that all YAANs go into schools to spark interest in apprenticeships. To explain to young people that no matter who you are, how you found your school, where you are from, or what you want to do, an apprenticeship can open a career for you.
We need a high quality careers programme in every school and college. A programme that shouts about the value of apprenticeships as an exciting option alongside academic routes.”
The minister then went on to officially launch the YAAN;
“Our YAAN have a huge role to play in helping address skills shortages.
It is my great pleasure to formally launch the National Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network.
Your journey begins here and now. I will be watching your activities, watching your results and doing everything I can in my role in Government to support you.
Congratulations on being part of the official national network.”
Amber Bassett (pictured right) and Maddy Geen (pictured left) from the University of Exeter, and both studying Business Administration with Exeter College, proudly support the new National YAAN as our Apprentice Ambassadors.
Amber Bassett, Apprentice Academic Support Administrator at the University of Exeter Business School, said:
“The launch of the Young Apprentice Ambassador Network (YAAN) today was incredibly useful for me because I got to learn lots about how the YAAN can inspire and recruit new members all across the UK and how we can work to raise more awareness of apprenticeships down here in the South West. I am really looking forward to supporting the YAAN by talking to other young people about the benefits of apprenticeships and what’s in it for them and also looking forward to working with the local employers partnerships (LEPs) to build the network in the South West so that more people can experience the opportunities an apprenticeship brings them, just like I have.”
Maddy Geen, Apprentice Administrative Assistant at the University of Exeter Medical School, said:
“I found the launch event extremely useful and interesting as it enabled me to understand more about the Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (YAAN). The event gave us an opportunity to hear about other YAAN’s across the country and how they were developed, which gave us some great ideas for starting up an official YAAN in the South West. Following this launch event myself and the other apprentices are hoping to get involved in activities to spread the word about apprenticeships and what a brilliant opportunity they are. We are looking to visit schools and colleges to promote a large variety of apprenticeship schemes, as well as work closely with our local employers, to help us achieve our goal of increasing the numbers of apprentices in the South West in the near future”.
YAAN Ambassador activities will include:
- Championing and promoting Apprenticeships with young people, teachers and parents and their local stakeholders
- Visiting schools, career fairs and events and speaking about their experience as an apprentice
- Acting as a role model to promote and encourage diversity with Apprenticeships
- Sharing their own experience of Apprenticeships and best practice
- Promoting the benefits and opportunities that Apprenticeships provide
- Promoting progression opportunities
- Actively supporting Apprenticeship Campaigns such as ‘Get in go far’ and using social media, and networks, to share key messages
- Working with the National Apprenticeship Service to raise the level of press coverage, communicating success stories and maximising key events and activities including National Apprenticeship Week
If you want find out more about the YAAN, or are interested in joining the network go to https://yaan.amazingapprenticeships.com