HAMPSHIRE'S teenagers are set to benefit from new apprenticeships to be created in hospitals, schools and councils.

During a visit to Southampton today, Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to unveil an initiative to see 21,000 new posts created throughout the country.

He wants to see youngsters leaving school and college given the chance to learn trades while working in frontline public services.

Mr Brown was to launch National Apprenticeships Week at Southampton City College, alongside Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Skills Secretary, Southampton Itchen MP John Denham.

The scheme they announced is designed to mark a shift in policy towards more training schemes within the public sector, which currently employs one in five workers, but offers fewer than one in ten apprenticeships.

The posts will see apprentices learning their trades while working in hospitals and local government, as well as a guarantee they will be involved in the building of new schools.

Mr Denham said the programme builds on the progress that has been made already.

The number of apprenticeships has trebled since 1997 to almost 250,000, and last year saw a record number starting and completing schemes.

"We want to continue that growth and get young people and adults to recognise the huge breadth of jobs and career options an apprenticeship can open up in healthcare, education and business to name just a few," he said.

But the Conservatives have hit out at the announcement, pointing to statistics showing the number of 16- to 18-year-olds starting apprenticeships fell by 16 per cent last year.

"These new figures demonstrate the huge gap between ministers' promises and what they are actually delivering," said Shadow Skills Secretary David Willetts.