THE numbers of apprentices has more than doubled in the North West, according to deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Despite the current pressure on finding work in the jobs market for young people, he claims that in North West, the four years of the coalition government, has seen 334,000 people start apprenticeships.

And while Mr Clegg provides no details of just how many apprentices completed their apprenticeships and found employment, the figures beat the previous four years to 200/2010 when 151,000 young people became apprentices.