You may have noticed that this week is National Apprenticeship Week 2026, and here at VQ Solutions, we are gearing up for a range of activities to promote everything that is great about apprenticeships!
It’s a week that’s become a fixture in the education and skills calendar: employers, training providers, schools, colleges, apprentices and communities all use it to celebrate the impact apprenticeships have on careers, businesses and the economy — and to encourage more people to consider the apprenticeship route.
This year’s official theme is “Skills for Life”, focusing on the idea that apprenticeships build not only job-specific competence, but wider, transferable skills that last well beyond any one role.
So, what is National Apprenticeship Week?
At its core, National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) is a national awareness campaign and celebration of apprenticeships in England, led by government channels and supported by training providers, like VQ Solutions and employers and learners across the sector. You’ll see activity in all shapes and sizes, not just from us but from other organisations too.
How did National Apprenticeship Week start?
NAW didn’t appear by accident — it was created to put apprenticeships firmly on the national agenda and this year is the 19th NAW.
The first National Apprenticeship Week took place in 2007, launched to draw wider national attention to the benefits of apprenticeships.
That timing matters. In the years that followed, apprenticeships became a bigger part of skills policy and public discussion — and NAW became the annual “moment” that concentrated attention, stories, and employer engagement into one high-visibility week.
Fast forward to today, and NAW is now an established, recurring national campaign with an official website, resources and toolkits to help organisations promote apprenticeships effectively.
Why NAW matters
For organisations like VQ Solutions, other training providers and employers, NAW matters because it provides a powerful platform to showcase the real-world impact of apprenticeships—highlighting success stories, raising awareness of available opportunities, and inspiring the next generation to pursue this rewarding pathway. Apprenticeships deliver lasting value: building resilient, adaptable workforces equipped with “Skills for Life” that support personal growth, business innovation, and long-term economic prosperity.
Why Apprenticeships Matter
Ultimately, apprenticeships stand out as a proven route to meaningful, sustainable careers. They combine hands-on experience with structured learning, enabling individuals to earn while they learn, gain recognised qualifications, and develop those essential “Skills for Life” that employers value highly. Whether you're starting out, switching careers, or upskilling your team, apprenticeships offer flexibility, real-world application, and long-term rewards that traditional paths often can't match. At VQ Solutions, we're proud to champion this pathway and invite you to explore how it can transform futures—for individuals, businesses, and the wider economy alike.
Follow us this week and learn about all the great things apprenticeships have to offer!