On Friday 15th March, East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah kick-started his East Surrey Apprenticeship Campaign: 100 apprenticeships in 100 days.

The breakfast launch, supported by Nutfield based Chalk Hills Bakery, which took place in Oxted Cinema at the end of National Apprenticeship Week was attended by over 70 large and small local organisations with an interest in recruiting an apprentice.

At the end of the two hour breakfast meeting firms were asked for pledges and over 10 organisations pledged immediately to recruit an apprentice. Tandridge District Council led the way with new Chief Executive, Louise Round, pledging to hire three apprentices. The event kicked off with presentations from David Gold, (Caterham based founder of Ann Summers and owner of West Ham Football Club), the National Apprenticeship Service and East Surrey College, all highlighting the benefits of taking on an apprentice:

• A trainee for up to a year with the option of keeping them on full time. A Government subsidy of ￡1,500 for every apprentice you take on.

• Up to 100% subsidy for the cost of training for the apprentice. Hassle free – the National Apprenticeship Service will help find a suitable apprentice and arrange all aspects of the programme. Also in attendance were Elements Lifestyle, an award winning Oxted-based business, Young Epilepsy, the Orpheus Centre and Southern Railway. Speaking after the event, Mr Gyimah MP said: "It was great to pull so many local businesses, large and small, together to launch the apprenticeship campaign – '100 in 100 days'!

"The launch was an opportunity for local firms to hear from other organisations that have benefited from hiring apprentices as well as learn from the training providers how they can tailor an apprenticeship to their business needs. "I'm really thrilled that ten businesses stepped forward with a pledge at the launch but there is still a long way to go to hit our target of a 100. Over the coming weeks and months I'll be contacting other firms to let them know how they could benefit from taking on an apprentice.

"A huge thank you to all those that attended and made pledges. With over 500,000 apprenticeships started last year it is important that talented young people in East Surrey get their chance too."