SkillsActive has urged all national governing bodies (NGBs) to help meet a £40m funding shortfall in UK Sport's World Class Performance Programme by signing up to the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE).

The Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning held an event on 26 February to showcase the success of the AASE scheme, which it believes will add to the limited resources available to help NGBs to develop young sporting talent. Developed by SkillsActive in partnership with the Learning Skills Council, the apprenticeship scheme is designed to allow sports to retain young athletes who may be forced into seeking an alternative career.

It is hoped that as many of the 2,500 athletes currently on the AASE programme will feature as part of Team GB in 2012, although nine athletes from the scheme also competed at the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics last summer, including double-gold medallist, Rebecca Adlington. David Sparkes, chief executive of the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), said: "There's been a talent pathway in swimming and diving, but there has been nothing like the AASE for synchronised swimming and water polo, so it is a unique opportunity for these sports."

In addition to the sports currently signed up to AASE, which include football, cricket and rugby union, the scheme is being piloted in eight other sports, including golf, athletics and motorsport. It is hoped that volleyball, handball and hockey will also adopt the initiative from September.