You’re hired – who is our top apprentice?

For many young people an earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship is a emerging as a better career option than spending years at university racking up huge debts.

And this year’s Bedfordshire and Luton Rising Stars Business Excellence Awards will highlight the amazing contribution apprentices bring to their host companies – and the wider economy.

Bedfordshire-wide education and training provider Bedford College, which has one of its three learning centres in Upper George Street, Luton, is sponsoring the Apprentice of the Year category.

Bedford College chief executive Ian Pryce said: “As a college devoted to helping people make the most of their talents through training, we want to celebrate the achievements and contribution of apprentices”

Bedford College is hosting the NITP (National IT Partnerships) apprenticeship programme for young people working in IT. It says this offers real training for real jobs with real businesses.

The college says more than 140,000 people will be needed to fill IT jobs over the next few years and the college was one of the first further education collages to join the programme, which is being rolled out across the country.

In other areas of employment such as the motor industry, Bedford College works with big name companies like GM in Luton, as well as with a wide range of employers in accountancy, business administration, catering, child care, customer service, construction, electrotechnicals, hairdressing, health and social care, mechanical engineering, plumbing and modern teaching assistants.

Apprentice Dan Newton, pictured above right said: “I’m earning while learning and will have a job at the end of the apprenticeship. A better option than going to university and coming out with a huge debt.”

> To sponsor the awards contact Rebecca McCreath at Premier Newspapers by emailing her via [email protected] or phone her on 01908 651263

> To enter the awards, visit www2.lutontoday.co.uk/risingstars2011