Some 20,000 new apprenticeships were pledged during National Apprenticeship Week, with many more UK employers opening the schemes to school leavers.

Companies inviting more apprentices included Lloyds Banking Group, which committed to hiring 5,000 people, Greene King and Whitbread, pledging 2,000, and EE and Starbucks each pledging 1,000 vacancies.

Small and medium businesses made up 47 per cent of the employers creating new apprenticeships.

SMEs singled out in a Department for Business statement were Cambridgeshire retailer Crafting Time, Kent web designers Interactive Red, London charity Lives Not Knives, Grimsby electrical contractors HYBRiD, Oldham construction firm Emanuel Whittaker and Penzance customer services company TR18 Contact.

Business secretary Vince Cable said: “The resounding success of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week demonstrates that apprenticeships are deservedly becoming more popular with business of all sizes.

“Apprentices already contribute £1.8 billion to the economy and with these further commitments, thousands more people will now be able to get the practical skills they need to build careers and help firms grow.”