A campaign by two regional dailies to find 100 apprenticeships for young people in 100 days has won an award.

The Citizen, Gloucester, and the Gloucestershire Echo launched its second ‘100inONEHUNDRED Apprentice Challenge’ in August after a previous successful campaign which started in March and found 123 apprentices.

Now Gloucestershire College, who joined the papers to carry out the campaigns, has won a gold award in the public sector category of the West of England PRide Awards, which are run by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

A number of regional newspapers have also launched similar drives to tackle unemployment among young people.

Citizen editor Ian Mean, who came up with the idea for the campaign, said: “The ethos behind the apprenticeship challenge campaign was simple – to help create jobs for the army of young people who sadly are out of work.

“This is our second apprenticeship challenge campaign this year and it is clear that once again we are going to beat our target and then some.

“It has been so successful it has now been taken up by other newspaper titles all over the country which is fantastic.”

Judges said the campaign had engaged local businesses and Parliamentary stakeholders, on-going case studies were used to maintain momentum and Twitter feeds were used creatively.

College principal Greg Smith said: “The campaign is a result of a successful partnership between Gloucestershire College and Gloucestershire Media and I was delighted that the editor of The Citizen, Ian Mean, was able to join me and my colleagues to receive the award.

“Gloucestershire Media should be very proud of their pivotal role in achieving this recognition.”