Following on from National Apprenticeship Week last week, Punchline-Gloucester.com is continuing our campaign to champion apprenticeships from across the county.

Andy Bates is chief finance officer of Gloucestershire College, which has three campuses in the county - in Gloucester, Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean.

Gloucestershire College has been providing apprenticeships in the county for many years. Apprenticeships are at the heart of what the college does, which is focused on getting young people into work to support Gloucestershire's businesses.

Gloucestershire College provides apprenticeships in more than 50 areas of work - from cyber to construction and hospitality to hairdressing. It works with more than 1,500 companies in the county to provide them with apprentices.