APPRENTICESHIPS are not talked about enough in schools, according to Stephanie Rockett [ok].

The 19-year-old is one of nine apprentice ambassadors recruited to promote learn-while-you-earn job opportunities around the county.

Ms Rockett, a business administration apprentice with Oxford City Council’s human relations department, said there was too much emphasis on applying to university.

She said: “Apprenticeships are not advertised as much as they should be in schools.

“I’d like to get the message out there that if university is not for you, there are lots of other options.”

The former St Gregory the Great pupil from Kennington is seven months into a two-year course that leads to a NVQ level 3 qualification.

The newly-launched ambassador scheme, run by Oxfordshire County Council under the Oxford City Deal, sends apprentices to careers fairs, school assemblies, workshops and roadshows to talk to young people and their parents about what is on offer.

The number of ambassadors is set to double when another 10 are recruited by the end of June.

Ms Rockett added: “I don’t feel apprenticeships are catered for enough because it was all university-based at my school.

“I was lucky my brother had done it as that made me look online to see what was available.”

Lucy Longford, 18, on a two-year business administration apprenticeship with Oxford City Council’s environmental development department, applied “by accident” after her father spotted an advertisement.

The former Cherwell School pupil from Marston, said: “I wanted to go into teaching but my last year of A-levels wasn’t very good and I realised that was not the right choice.

“In the sixth form we did lots of stuff about how to apply to university but not much about other options, so I’m quite excited to help others in the same position I was.”

She said there were a number of misunderstandings about what was involved.

She added: “People think you are on the side, doing jobs no one else wants to but it’s nothing like that. I feel part of the team and forget I’m an apprentice most of the time.”

The other seven ambassadors are business administration apprentices Megan Clarke, Laura Cunningham, Lilly Dodd, Emily Joyce and Ashley Sellwood plus engineering apprentice George Hall and apprentice electrician Luke Mullan.

Oxfordshire Apprenticeships skills officer for Melanie Ringer said: “Young people can hear directly from apprentices or former apprentices what’s involved.”

“They get the real story, rather than just the theory, so it brings it to life.”

For more information, visit oxfordshireapprenticeships.co.uk