A college group has launched an apprenticeship and professional learning arm covering the east of the county.

EKC Group, formed from the merger of East Kent and Canterbury colleges, will also deliver higher education and community learning services as part of its EKC WorkHigher divison.

It launched the initiative - available at its colleges in Broadstairs, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Sheppey - at the National Apprenticeship Show in Detling last week.

"The high quality of our apprenticeship service is illustrated in the fact that we’ve seen significant growth this year, even while nationally apprenticeship starts have declined steeply,” said EKC WorkHigher director Jonathan Smith.

“Apprenticeships are a huge part of our area, and we’re proud to have delivered thousands of high quality opportunities over the past few years."

Interest in apprenticeships appeared high at the National Apprenticeship Show, which attracted 6,500 people to the Kent Event Centre.

Elliott Homes, 18, a Canterbury College student who lives in Lenham, said: "This is the way for me to go forward and it's going to give me a better chance of learning in the industry I want to go in, which is IT and project management.

"I don't want to go behind financially and with an apprenticeship I'll be earning as well as getting the work experience I need."