Lord Sugar appointed government’s enterprise tsar
Lord Sugar has been appointed enterprise tsar as part of government’s drive to get more young people to start their own business or an apprenticeship.
- Lord Sugar to champion enterprise across the country
- He will undertake a roadshow to highlight advantages for young people and business
- Lord Sugar’s record in business makes him ideally suited to lead campaign
Lord Sugar has been appointed enterprise tsar as part of the government’s drive to get more young people to consider starting their own business or undertaking an apprenticeship.
As well as championing enterprise and apprenticeships among young people, he will encourage businesses to take on apprentices themselves.
Lord Sugar is one of the best known names in British business, and having built up two successful computer firms – Amstrad and Viglen – after leaving school at 16, he is ideally placed to champion the cause of both entrepreneurship and apprenticeships.
He will be undertaking a series of roadshow events across England, speaking to local school leavers and businesses. He will be provided with support by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Education.
Lord Sugar said:
I’m delighted to be taking on this challenge. I built successful businesses with the support of hundreds of talented young people who learned their skills on the job – exactly the kinds of skills you learn in an apprenticeship. But not enough of our young people know about apprenticeships and what they offer, and too few feel empowered to set up their own business.
I’ll be travelling the length and breadth of this country to tell young people why apprenticeships are a great way for them to build their skills – and talking about the opportunities for starting their own business, hopefully instilling some entrepreneurial spirit.
Skills Minister Nick Boles said:
We want every young person in Britain to get on and build a great life for themselves, whether it’s by starting an apprenticeship or setting up their own business. Lord Sugar has huge credibility among young people and I am delighted that he has agreed to help the government bang the drum for apprenticeships and enterprise.
Lord Sugar’s role will contribute to the government’s drive to deliver three million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020.
In last year’s summer budget, the government announced the introduction of the apprenticeship levy to increase the quality and quantity of apprenticeships in England.
An employer-led Institute for Apprenticeships will begin work next year and will have a mandate to regulate the quality of apprenticeships.