A drive is underway to fill hundreds of apprenticeship vacancies across Huddersfield.

Young people considering their options after taking GCSEs and A-levels have been urged to look at apprenticeships and traineeships.

Jo Ledgard, Kirklees operations manager for Jobcentre Plus, said the gov.uk website listed 320 apprenticeship vacancies within 10 miles of Huddersfield, including ones in business administration, IT and human resources.

Data from the Department for Education shows there were 3,840 starters on apprenticeships in Kirklees between August, 2016, and April this year.

Nationally, apprenticeship participation now stands at a record level. There were 509,400 apprenticeship starts in the 2015 to 2016 academic year, of which 131,400 were under 19.

Jo said: “The government are promoting apprenticeships as a way forward to drive up skills.

“In Huddersfield Jobcentre, we actively promote the apprenticeship websites and explain that they are not only available to young people – there are also some available to 25-plus. We also work direct with employers and training providers like the Textile Centre of Excellence, who offer traineeships and apprenticeships in various industries.

“People claiming benefits can talk to their work coach at the Jobcentre. Non-claimants can talk to their local careers office.”