A YORK apprentice’s skills have been recognised by the Prime Minster as the city’s National Apprenticeship Week campaign welcomes 355 earn-as-you-learn vacancies.

As part of last week’s National Apprenticeship Week, Nestlé apprentice Matt Tarn starred in two short films showcasing the work he does as an engineering apprentice.

The film will be among the first to appear on Prime Minister David Cameron’s Pinterest board, a virtual collection of his online interests which has amassed 154 images of the products and services made possible by the nation’s apprentices.

Matt said: “I was studying at York College before joining Nestlé and after researching both the company and the apprenticeship scheme, I thought this was a fantastic opportunity.

“Nestlé truly does invest in its people and you are working alongside industry experts so the wealth of knowledge is incredible.”

Elsewhere at Nestlé, group technical and production director Peter Hagman returned the factory floor as part of Apprenticeship Week to shadow apprentice Francesca Igoe.

Two apprentices from Nestlé’s York factory also attended a reception showcasing apprenticeships at Downing Street on Thursday.

Ed Wilson, a fourth year apprentice, and Jordan Phillips, a third- year apprentice, together with Nestle UK&I chief engineer Richard Martin attended a reception organised by The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Meanwhile Lauren Macdonald, who coordinates Nestlé’s Apprenticeship and Fast Start school leaver programmes, spent a day shadowing National Skills Academy chief executive Justine Fosh.

Also celebrating apprenticeship success were staff at Fera, the Food and Environmental Research Agency based at Sandhutton.

Fera’s Science Apprenticeship Programme has seen 13 of the original 18 apprentices successfully apply for positions with the laboratory through external open competition.

Joe Turton, from Scarborough, achieved GCSEs at school before deciding that an apprenticeship could be the best way for him to begin a career in science, and now works in Fera’s Centre for Chemical Safety and Stewardship.

Joe was recognised as Advanced Apprentice of the Year for the Yorkshire and the Humber region at the regional stage of the National Apprenticeship Awards 2013.

Following intakes in 2011, 2012 and 2013, Fera plans to continue to employ a number of apprentices on a yearly rolling program with a new scheme launching around May this year.

Hambleton District Council welcomed National Apprenticeship Week with the continuing success of its Changing Lives Building Business initiative, which was launched last year.

The scheme helps small Hambleton-based businesses take on apprentices, however the £2,000 grant must be spent on a 16- to 24- year-old who lives in Hambleton.

Peter Wilkinson, deputy leader of the council said: “This ground-breaking initiative has already helped 30 young people find work, people who were unemployed in the district.”

Northallerton Insurance Services is the latest local business to make the use of the grant as it employed apprentice Eve Duxbury from Thirsk.

Eve, who is studying for an NVQ in business administration and customer service, said: “I have more independence; I am learning new skills which I have been able to practice and apply in the business and I also think that because it is a small company it helps me to have a rounder idea of how the business works.”

In Scarborough 20-year-old apprentice Chantelle Wrightson, from Eastfield, was chosen as the face to launch Sanctuary Group’s National Apprenticeship Week campaign.

Chantelle, who is an apprentice joiner at Sanctuary’s Middle Deepdale site where 60 care apartments are being built, was chosen to be pictured on the front of a postcard Sanctuary designed to send out to its partners to promote National Apprenticeship Week.

During Apprenticeship Week housebuilder Barrattt Developments announced that over the next three years it will take on 41 new apprentices across Yorkshire East, including 25 trade, technical and commercial apprentices, three undergraduate interns and three foundation degree students.

Ricky Coulter-Bell, from York, started his apprenticeship in joinery in September 2011 with Barratt Developments and York College. He currently works at the Tannery development in Strensall where he has progressed quickly to become an assistant site manager.

Ricky, now aged 19, said: “I was very lucky to be offered the role of assistant site manager at such a young age and I am very grateful for the opportunity. I knew learning a trade would allow me to advance in my career but I didn’t know how far I would come in such a short time.”