AN apprentice from Altrincham who made her mark in a national competition is calling upon Trafford businesses to recruit apprentices as part of a national drive.

In December, Jasmine Clark, 23, was awarded the title of Apprentice of the Year runner-up at a special awards ceremony held at the House of Commons and is now championing apprenticeships during national apprenticeship week.

Her award has inspired her to take on the baton and shine a light on apprenticeships and the value they bring to businesses and the local economy. The move comes on the back of a campaign by the CIPP (The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals) during national apprenticeship week between March 14 and 18.

Jasmine said: “After school most of my friends went on to college and university, but leaving with a mountain of debt and starting on a low salary just did not appeal to me.

"Instead, I wanted to earn and learn at the same time. So when I saw the chance to work in payroll at CGI (Consultants to Government and Industry) and use my passion for maths I jumped at the opportunity.

"Thanks to the help of the CIPP I was offered the role, they also continued to support me throughout my apprenticeship and I am now a fully qualified member of the team.”

Apprenticeships are available in 1,500 job roles, covering more than 170 industries and there are up to as many as 28,000 apprenticeship vacancies are available online at any one time. However, the CIPP is supporting the payroll industry and encouraging the sector to look to apprentices to help nurture and grow talent.

Jason Clark, CIPP operations manager for the professional careers academy, added: “Jasmine's hard work and the support of CGI is a prime example of when businesses and apprentices both gain from this amazing programme.”

For further information on apprentices and the CIPP, please visit www.cipp.org.uk