According to government statistics, the number of young people in work based learning are at their highest for ten years. The Learning and Skills Council has also made an additional £25 million available to help providers implement the recommendations made in the report of the Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee: ‘The Way to Work’.

Ian Ferguson, Chairman of the Learning and Skills Council Modern Apprenticeship Board, and member of the Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee which made the recommendations in the report, said: "We are delighted that young people and employers recognise the value and are showing their commitment to work based learning. We are working hard to build-on this success and continue this upward trend."

The LSC has been set a target to increase by 35,000 the number of young people entering the Modern Apprenticeship programme so that 175,000, or 28% of young people aged 16 to 21, take up the option by 2004. As part of delivering this, two major marketing campaigns are being launched this summer to target both employers and young people.