Today, Monday 9 February, marks the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2026.
The week-long celebration 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.
A glowing example of this in Hull is 20-year-old Tyreece Moss whose journey took him from being in care to successfully completing his apprenticeship and into full-time employment.
Supported by Hull Training and Adult Education (HTAE), Tyreece recently passed his End Point Assessment (EPA) for his Signage Technician Standard Level 3 apprenticeship.
Having begun his course three years ago, he now has full-time employment as a vinyl preparator with Hull family-run signmakers, Matt Vinyl Graphics.
Such has been his progress, he has now started mentoring others.
Tyreece credits the apprenticeship scheme to helping him to rebuild his life having experienced significant challenges during his teenage years.
“My grandad passed away when I was 16 and he was the only person I had, so I ended up in care,” he explained.
“When I was 17, I was living in supported accommodation and my carers helped me to develop my CV and then I attended at HTAE open event.
“The signmaking tutor, Mike Gooch, made the course sound really interesting and I thought ‘let’s give it a go’.
“I gained an apprenticeship with Matt Vinyl Graphics through HTAE, but I didn’t have my maths and English qualifications.
“HTAE supported me all the way with this to help me to earn those qualifications and having that understanding and flexibility from them made such a big difference.
“It felt amazing to pass my EPA, it made those two years completely worth it and I couldn’t have done it without the support of the council’s care leavers team, HTAE and Matt Vinyl Graphics.
“For me, this has been the best career choice and pathway I could have chosen.
“The training has not only given me valuable skills, but also the confidence to grow and I feel like I’m building a strong future for myself while contributing to the success of the business.”
In recognition of his determination and resilience, Tyreece recently won a Blue Diamond Award, a care leavers’ award for outstanding achievement, also winning the Overcoming Barriers Award at the HTAE Learners Awards 2024.
Matt Vinyl Graphics provided Tyreece with somewhere to live when he turned 18 after being required to leave supported accommodation with just two weeks’ notice.
“I’m incredibly grateful that people believed in me,” he added. “My employers have not only supported me in my career, but also when I was struggling to find accommodation.
“They stepped in and helped me by providing a permanent place to call my own and getting me set up with everything I needed to get back on my feet personally.”
Lauren Nicholson, accounts clerk at Matt Vinyl Graphics, said: “We’re a family business and Ty is part of that family.
“He’s reliable, driven and always willing to learn. We’re incredibly proud of him and completing his Level 3 and winning those awards are testament to his hard work and professionalism.
“No matter the difficulties he was dealing with in his personal life, he was always at work, often earlier than required, demonstrating his commitment and enthusiasm from day one.”
Tyreece’s former tutor, Mike Gooch, added: “Ty was a teenage lad living on park benches. To see him pass his EPA is extraordinary.
“This is the most rewarding result I have had in 17 years of doing this job – I had tears in my eyes and was full of pride.
“Well done, Tyreece. This is such a huge achievement and you should be incredibly proud of yourself. You are a true success story for Hull Training and Matt Vinyl Graphics.”
The council will be sharing stories of more apprenticeships throughout the week on its Facebook and LinkedIn as part of National Apprenticeship Week, which runs until Sunday 16 February.
If you’d like to find out more about apprenticeships through the council, whether you’re a learner looking to build your career or an employer wanting to strengthen your workforce, visit HTAE’s apprenticeships page at hcctraining.ac.uk/apprenticeships.
Alternatively, you can contact them to discuss vacancies and training options on tec.engagement@hullcc.gov.uk or 01482 615270.