Last year was highly successful for the Cirencester College Apprenticeship Team, with an increase of over 50 per cent in apprentices joining a variety of high quality business and professional apprenticeship programmes.

Sarah Helbrow, apprenticeship manager at Cirencester College, said: "The growth in our apprenticeship programmes is testament to our local employers who continue to see the benefits of bringing apprenticeships in to their business. There has also been a growth in the number of Apprenticeship Levy paying companies now using the levy to recruit new apprentices.

"Companies are also using professional apprenticeship training to support current staff who are changing their roles or have an identified a specific training need. Apprenticeships give companies the opportunity to grow their skills base, which in turn often leads to growth in the business.

"Equally, apprenticeships provide a fantastic opportunity for young people to start a career and develop valuable workplace skills and knowledge. Our outcomes continue to be exceptionally positive for both employers and apprentices, with over 90 per cent of our completing apprentices last year remaining with the same employer after they had finished their apprenticeship."

Joanne Marshall from The Bathurst Estate, which has employed an accounting apprentice, said: "The team at Cirencester College have provided us with an excellent service. We have always been given everything we needed. They care about their apprentices, ensuring they are given every opportunity to fulfil their absolute potential and beyond."

The college currently delivers apprenticeships in nine key business sectors across three different levels, including apprenticeships in Accountancy, Business & Administration, Customer Service, Creative & Digital Media, IT Application Specialist, Marketing, Supervision and Management, Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools and Financial Services.

The Cirencester College Apprenticeship Team will be opening their doors for an apprenticeship information evening on 7th March between 6pm and 8pm.