EAST Hampshire MP Damian Hinds has welcomed new figures showing 3,400 new apprenticeships have been started in East Hampshire since 2010.

This growth in apprenticeships at district level has been part of a wider increase, with 348,350 started in the South East and more than 2.6 million new apprenticeships across England over the same period.

Mr Hinds said: “We are making real progress in helping people into work through apprenticeships, and the Government is committed to going even further over the next five years, to deliver three million more by 2020.

“The new apprenticeship levy, paid only by larger employers, will be a major structural change, guaranteeing sustained investment in our skills base locally and nationally.

“The more we can do to ensure young people are earning and learning, the greater chance they have to secure a good job and a more rewarding future.”