by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Medway businesses have been set a challenge of creating 100 apprenticeships in 100 days.

Medway Council has joined forces with the National Apprenticeship Service to launch the Medway 100 in 100 campaign, aimed at increasing the number of businesses in Medway offering apprenticeships.

The campaign was launched in Chatham Historic Dockyard today where employers were told how to take on an apprentice and what they could do for their business.

The challenge aims to attract businesses of all sizes, across all sectors, and will give job seekers aged 16 and above a chance to gain trade skills and a recognised qualification, while earning a wage.

The Government and local councils like Medway and Kent County are pushing apprenticeships as a way of boosting skills, offering an alternative to university and taking young people out of the dole queue.

Unemployment figures published yesterday revealed that 935,000 16 - 24 year olds are out of work, around one in five of that age group.

Apprenticeships allow businesses to train staff to industry standards and 80 per cent of employers who have apprentices say they make their workplace more productive.

There are already 1,500 apprentices in Medway and more than 200 different types of apprenticeships lasting from one to three years and covering an array of trades and professions, from accounting, animal care and administration to hairdressing and joinery.

Details at http://cms.kentonline.co.uk/edit/www.medway.gov.uk/medway100