DOZENS of young apprentices from across the south came together to launch a new networking group for the Dorset and Solent region.

A total of 26 young people gathered at Dorset-based Superior for the official launch of the Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (YAAN).

Its aim is to recruit past and present young apprentices across all levels and business areas of apprenticeships to engage with and provide information on apprenticeships, directly to young people, teachers and parents.

Those at the launch represented a variety of companies and sectors including Superior, the Francesco Group, BAE, the NHS, Berthon Boats, Bournemouth and Poole College and Savills.

Lauren Turner, an apprentice at Redweb, currently on the Digital Marketing Course at Bournemouth and Poole College, said: "I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and I looked at uni, but I didn’t want to spend that kind of money on something I wasn’t sure that I would go into as a career.

"I looked at apprenticeships and now work for Redweb working on national clients within a team, with great training and most of all, experience."

Dorset and Solent is one of five YAAN sub-regions in the South East region, chaired by Ben Clarke of Superior.

He said: "The Ambassador Network has a unique role to play in allowing the next generation of school leavers to make informed choices about apprenticeships through information and real experiences shared by young people, for young people.

"We look forward to recruiting many more ambassadors to represent as many sectors as we can to make this a rich and diverse pool of experience and expertise for schools to draw upon."

The launch of Dorset and Solent YAAN was supported by Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP),Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), the Careers and Enterprise Company in Dorset and Hampshire County Council.

Apprentices up to the age of 26 can apply to become ambassadors on the YAAN web site https://yaan.amazingapprenticeships.com/. The site also acts as a portal for schools, with different types of activities designed to address any knowledge gaps students, teachers or parents may have.