The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is backing this newspaper’s 100 in 100 campaign.

Last week was the first week of our 100 in 100 apprenticeship challenge, a 14-week campaign asking businesses, large and small, to employ 100 apprentices in 100 days.

After hearing of the launch, the mayor said: “Encouraging businesses to create apprenticeships is a top priority of mine, and so I would like to congratulate you for launching this fantastic campaign.

“Apprenticeships offer a win-win opportunity for employers and for local people, and I urge businesses to respond to your call and make the campaign a resounding success.

“This is precisely the kind of ambitious initiative I want to see happening across the capital, and I am sure that it will be a triumph.”

This newspaper knows that unemployment among the young is at a record level and there are thousands of young people who are desperate to start work. There are also scores of firms which need apprentices.

Our campaign aims to bring these two groups together, tying up potential apprentices with potential employers.

The Government recently announced it is spending another £150 million on its apprenticeships programme and that tackling youth unemployment is high on its agenda.

Our 100 in 100 campaign is a collaborative partnership between Newsquest and the National Apprenticeship Service, and is high on the agenda of both local and national government.

The in-paper and online initiative will feature a mix of advertising, interviews, case studies and editorial coverage on training providers, companies and of course, local apprentices.