The meeting of more than thirty regional newspaper editors saw His Royal Highness pledge his support to assist regional and local editors in campaigning for more businesses to create apprenticeships for the unemployed in their area.
The move follows the success of the Ladder for London campaign by the London Evening Standard which has created 1,000 apprenticeships for young people since its introduction in September 2012.
The Duke of York’s backing for the campaign, in partnership with City Gateway as the Standard’s campaign partner and apprentice provider, has seen him encourage many more companies offer to create trainee positions for youngsters and help the unemployed into work.
His Royal Highness has been vocal in his support for vocational training claiming that more opportunities are in need of being opened up across the country to provide jobs that the workplace requires.
Earlier this month he visited a college in the West Midlands to launch the Duke of York Award for Technical Education.
Jonathan Grun, the editor of the Press Association and President of the Society of Editors hosted the gathering on behalf of the Society at the news agency’s Vauxhall Bridge Road office and pledged his support for the plans.
He said: “We were delighted and honoured that the Duke is supporting this vital initiative with newspapers.
"The Ladder for London campaign has been a great success for the Evening Standard and London's young people and now there is an opportunity for the same model to roll out across the country with this support.
"It is another opportunity for newspapers to prove that they are a force for good in their community."
