National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) marks a week-long celebration that brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. This year, NAW26 will run from 9-15th February.
NLCBF’s Care X Apprentice Network works together across the year to amplify the importance of apprenticeships for care-experienced young people. We meet online once a every few months providing a space for care-experienced apprentices to support one another, socialise, and share our experiences. The network aims to understand and amplify apprentices’ priorities, challenges, and examples of best practice around Care X’s 5 key messages.
Below you will find a summary of a reflective session Care X took part in to reflect on NAW25 celebrations, finding out about the activities apprentices had taken part in and what stood out as highlights. After reflecting on these experiences, the group then moved onto a creative brainstorming around ideas for NAW26. We hope these conversations will spark inspiration, encourage positive practice, and support planning for this year’s activities.
Care X – Reflections on NAW25
Care X Apprenticeship members told us about their highlights from NAW25 events and activities:
- Representing the Care X Apprenticeship network at a panel for the Moving On Up network – sharing experiences and views on areas of support for care experienced apprentices from leisure, to travel, digital connection and housing
- Creating a culture and identity mural with other apprentices
- A Q&A between local authority apprentices and their Chief Executive talking about their own career journey and the councils’ future plans for apprenticeships
- Apprentice’s Awards ceremony (with refreshments)
- Different team building activities for apprentices
- Sessions delivered by leaving care team providing space and support alongside laptops and internet connection to showcase how to find and apply for apprenticeships online
- Webinars
Care X – Ideas for NAW26
Care X Apprenticeship members explored the kinds of activities and events that they would like to see on offer this year.
“I think personally it would be having a national event or even a local event to just represent us as care-experienced apprentices because to me it was just another day at work and there wasn’t any celebration of this.”
Inspirational sessions and recognition
- Sessions with care-experienced individuals who share their experiences of completing an apprenticeship and their career journey beyond that
- Celebrations (including awards and refreshments)
- Opportunities for apprentices to receive positive feedback, recognition, and praise for their achievements directly from their manager and team
Creative, interactive and engaging activities
- What does your ideal apprenticeship look like on a mood board?
- Opportunities to engage in light touch research linking to voice and influence projects
Information, support and employer involvement
- Sessions around understanding the bursary and other support available
- More involvement and celebration from employers outside of local authorities who employ care-experienced apprentices
- More awareness of NAW across the Local Authority
- Promotion of live apprenticeship opportunities throughout the week
- Promotion of information about support that is available (not just financial)
- Promoting care X Network, NAW website, Amazing Apprenticeships etc.
- Being connected with businesses that provide apprenticeships
Other useful resources to share around NAW26
Apprenticeship information, support, and opportunities for care-experienced apprentices:
- Encourage care-experienced young people who are starting, completing, or thinking about taking on an apprenticeship to sign up to the Care X Network.
- Find out more about National Apprenticeship Week 2026 and what’s on offer for young people, employers, and supporting professionals.
- Key messages from Care X Apprenticeship panel on NLCBF website
- Apprenticeships bursary for care leavers and Care Leavers’ Bursary Flowchart
- Moving On Up Apprenticeship Buddy, a brand-new AI tool designed to help care-experienced young people, their supporters and employers by providing clear, accurate answers to their questions based on best practice and official government guidance. You will find practical information about funding, eligibility, application steps, interview tips and more
- Care Leaver’s Covenant regularly update their Apprenticeship opportunities for care-experienced individuals. They are also hosting a drop-in session with Amazon on 10th Feb and AMEY on 3rd Feb – the dates that their 2026 apprenticeships go live. The link to book on is: Connects Drop-In Sessions – Care Leaver Covenant
- What it’s like being a care-experienced apprentice – Demi’s apprenticeship journey
- Children’s Commissioner blog – Chelsea ‘How my experiences helped me with my apprenticeship’