sector skills councils and sector training councils can play a role in this area but this requires that they expand their coverage and scope to other employers who do not actively participate in the northern ireland skills system in manchester and leeds local apprenticeship hubs have been successful in increasing participation in apprenticeship programmes while also offering coordinated support to smes lessons from the leeds city apprenticeship hub highlight that local smes often found a fragmented advice and guidance system which limits their knowledge about where to go to participate in apprenticeship programmes as well as the administrative requirements of participation