It comes as Workplus has announced 100 apprenticeship opportunities, across a range of sectors, in this year’s ‘Get a Head Start’ campaign.

The Lagan Valley MLA has said: “We need more people to consider apprenticeships at all stages of their careers. Crucially, I would also, in turn, call on employers to consider getting involved and offering apprenticeships to fill vacancies. There is a lot of support on offer to employers, whatever sector they are in, if they are willing to take on apprentices.

“The latest Employer Skills Survey showed there were nearly 40,000 vacancies in Northern Ireland, 13,700 of which were deemed skill-shortage vacancies.

“These numbers demonstrate clearly how important it is for us to be supporting skills development and employers wherever we can, and promoting the taking up of apprenticeships is one critical way we can do this.”