A new initiative to bring like-minded apprentices and ex-apprentices together to inform others on the earn-while-you-learn scheme has been launched by a former Hunts Post Business Awards winner.

Jess Morris, product developer and graphic designer at Le Mark, has established the young apprentice ambassadors of Cambridgeshire group, after winning the Employee of the Year award in 2015.

The group, who are all going through or have completed an apprenticeship, will visit schools, colleges, business breakfasts and events to promote the scheme and to share their experiences.

“Because of my success within Le Mark, I was asked by a college to come in and give a presentation so I wanted to set up the group to get more people like me that they could call upon, people of different backgrounds, in different apprenticeships – a variety of people to choose from,” said Miss Morris.

“It will be good to tell students and others about apprenticeships from people who have gone through them.”

The apprentices are based throughout Cambridgeshire and include last year’s winner of the Apprentice of the Year award at The Hunts Post Business Awards, Laura Wilson, who works for Cambridgeshire police.

There are a number of ambassador groups throughout the country but this is the first in its kind in Cambridgeshire.

“It’s such an accomplishment, it is nice to produce something from scratch that has not been done before. It has also been great to be able to get guidance from other groups throughout the UK.”

To give the group guidance, Miss Morris has put together a presentation that will provide all the key information, along with scope to share their own experiences.

“I think the scheme will work really well and hopefully it will push the number of apprentices in the area,” Miss Morris added.

The ambassador group will be launched this week as part of the 10th anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week.