His Royal Highness the Duke of York met with the National Skills Academy and its employers at the launch of the Confederation of Apprenticeship Training Agencies (COATA).

COATA, an independent umbrella organisation for Apprenticeship Training Agencies (ATAs) – of which the Skills Academy is a founder member – was launched on Monday 6 February to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week.

The Duke of York gave his backing to the new organisation to boost the growth and development of ATAs that help young people into full-time employment. 

HRH The Duke of York and patron of COATA said:

'Too often employers want to employ young people with a minimum of three years experience. How are young people going to get this experience, if they don’t get a chance to be employed in the first place?

'COATA is looking to overthrow that by encouraging young people to come through their doors, take the employment risk for a period of time to enable young people to get on that ladder of experience.'

HRH The Duke of York met the apprentice, Anna Lowe, who is working at both Arts Council England and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.  ATAs enable organisations to share apprentices. 

Paul Marijetic, Head of Apprenticeships at the Skills Academy said: 

'We now have over 1000 Creative Apprenticeships and our ATA has helped small and medium enterprises in breaking down the barriers they have faced in wanting to take on apprentices'