IT’S been a few years since I spoke to a careers advisor about what I’d like to be when I grow up. But I know that at 15, faced with the prospect of what to do with the rest of my life, I hadn’t a clue. I knew I wanted to make money and be able to spend it on the things I liked, but that was about it!

What did seem clear was that there were plenty of opportunities open to me and lots of help to get me to where I wanted to go.

But today things are very different, not least because some of the more traditional career paths and industries are no longer available in the North-East.

Opportunities are out there but young people need to give far more thought to the choices they make and what lies ahead.

A lot of these opportunities will depend on the future needs of industry. We are seeing a number of new industries develop in our region such as the green and renewable sector and the digital and creative industries. Along with more traditional sectors like the manufacturing and service sectors, the economy of tomorrow promises to be both diverse and exciting.

But it will be essential that today’s young people have the skills they need to make a success of their futures.

One great way of developing these skills is through an apprenticeship.

NECC has helped more than 15,000 learners throughout the North East to gain the skills they need to develop new and exciting careers.

And these apprentices are in turn helping companies to grow and prepare for the future. As much as 83 per cent of employers say they rely on apprenticeship programmes to provide a skilled workforce for the future and 88 per cent say they believe apprenticeship programmes lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce.

We live in a rapidly changing world in which businesses need to be able to adapt to be successful in the future. Apprentices can play a key role in helping businesses meet these challenges head on. So if you are looking to secure the future of your business, an apprenticeship programme could be the answer.

■ Joanne Fryett is head of member relations at NECC