UK : A Westcountry teenager has been chosen to to be the face of the Government’s new apprenticeship campaign. Maisie Beaton, a graphic illustration apprentice, who works for Thales UK based in the South West, will appear in new adverts for Get In Go Far, aimed at inspiring more young people to follow her lead down the increasingly popular apprenticeship path.
The 19-year-old from Somerset was selected to feature as one of 13 stars of the campaign, where she will appear alongside apprentices from a wide range of sectors and companies, including big blue chip businesses such as IBM, Sellafield, JCB, Lloyds, BBC and Accenture. Maisie said: “I have learned so much in only two years and have had so many great opportunities and experiences all thanks to my apprenticeship. “Taking a leap of faith definitely paid off.”
She added: “I have developed a focused career path and aspire to become a qualified graphic illustrator, studying a degree, whilst working with design teams around Thales, gaining experience and expanding my skillset.”
The Get In Go Far campaign is designed to encourage more young people, their parents, teachers and peers to recognise apprenticeships as a valid and credible route to a rewarding career. It supports the government’s wider commitment to create three million apprenticeships by 2020, helping even more young people reap the benefits of learning through working.
The latest figures show that the South West has already increased apprenticeship starts by 12% between 2014/15 and the previous year. They also show that local businesses in the South West are backing apprenticeships with a three per cent increase in the number of workplaces employing apprentices during the same period.
Minister for Skills, Nick Boles, said: “This campaign will show young people and their parents the great things you can achieve if you choose an apprenticeship. “Our campaign stars, like Maisie and the millions more young people who have already benefited, are shining examples of how an apprenticeship can take you into any industry, any job and up to any level, including a degree.”
The launch of the campaign comes with the release of new figures that show nearly 90% of employers and apprentices are satisfied with their scheme and that around 75% of employers find their apprentices improve productivity or the quality of their products and services. The survey also showed that employment outcomes for apprentices remain strong with 92% of apprentices employed around six months after completion and that the vast majority of apprentice employers are committed to providing apprenticeships in the future.
Nicola Todd, professional development partner – Apprenticeship Development with Thales said: “We have been really impressed by Maisie’s contribution to Thales and have been pleased to welcome her as a representative to the Thales Apprenticeship Committee. “She is a fantastic ambassador for apprenticeships, which has been recognized both by the college through her recent awards and by Thales, who are supporting Maisie to complete a degree.
“We are proud of her achievements to date and look forward to seeing her progress within the company.” Get In Go Far will feature real apprentices in roles ranging from social media to engineering, with advertising on TV, outdoor posters, digital and social channels.
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