At the end of last year, I met a group of local hairdressers from Petersfield. They spoke candidly about the impact of the Chancellor’s decision to raise employer National Insurance Contributions, alongside the continuing high cost of energy for businesses that, by their nature, use a great deal of it.

We also discussed what might be announced in the forthcoming Budget, which, as it turned out, included rises in business rates for many.

During that discussion, we turned to apprenticeships – a vital issue for a sector with a long and proud tradition of training young people. I was alarmed to hear concerns that the cost of taking on an apprentice is calling its affordability into question.

As I have written in this column before, the Government needs to pay attention to the costs of employing young people, and apprentices in particular. Apprenticeships have so much to offer young people – and some not-so-young people – building their careers, as well as employers developing their pipeline of talent.

In government, we reformed the system so that apprenticeships became a minimum of one year, with a defined period of off-the-job learning, an end-point assessment and a qualification designed by employers themselves and overseen by an independent assessment body, the Institute for Apprenticeships.

I am not at one with some of the new Government’s plans for apprenticeships – for example, shortening the minimum length – and I have spoken extensively on the subject as the relevant Bill has gone through Parliament. But that is a subject for another day.

As I write this, it is Apprenticeships Week – a great opportunity to celebrate the depth and breadth of what apprenticeships can offer, from electronics to customer service.

Many East Hampshire employers have a strong apprenticeship offer, and there are excellent options for young people to choose from.

This week, I will be visiting the 2Excel Apprenticeships Open Day in Lasham, where young people can learn about careers in aviation and engineering. These are genuinely exciting opportunities that can set them up for life.

East Hampshire District Council stands out in its support for apprenticeships. This includes the Get East Hants Working Enterprise Apprenticeship Scheme, which allows participating businesses to reclaim part of an apprentice’s wage, helping employers invest in training until apprentices are fully productive.

One of the apprentices benefiting from this scheme is currently learning her craft at Salon 16 in Petersfield. The council can also help with travel costs.

I know times are tough for many businesses right now, but I hope more local employers will seize the opportunity to invest in young people by taking on an apprentice – helping to build skills, confidence and long-term prosperity in our local economy.

Apprenticeships can be the foundation and building blocks of a career. And in 2Excel’s case, they really can give young people a flying start.

For more information about the Get East Hants Working Enterprise Scheme, visit www.easthants.gov.uk/businesses