OPEN DAY TO JOIN THE COUNCIL’S APPRENTICESHIP POOL

Are you aged 16 years or over and looking for an apprenticeship? Let East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Employment, Education and Skills Team boost your chances of finding an apprenticeship.

The team is looking for suitably-motivated people to join their apprenticeship pool.

The apprenticeship pool is for people who are applying for apprenticeships now, but struggling to get interviews and for people who have left, or are just leaving school and are looking for an apprenticeship. The team works with local employers who have apprentice vacancies and prepare people for the opportunities that they find.

The team currently has vacancies with local organisations for apprenticeships to start during August 2014, including in the areas of business administration, customer service, IT and web and management/team leading apprenticeships. Apprenticeship vacancies are with the following types of businesses: doctors’ surgery, protective clothing manufacturer, optician, estate agent and local authority.

At the Apprenticeship Pool Open Day events, people will also get the opportunity to speak to a specialist careers adviser who can help in a variety of ways. The careers adviser can offer advice, practical help and access to qualifications or the development of skills, such as job search and preparation for interview.

To apply for the apprenticeship pool you must come along with a current CV to an Open Day at one of the following venues:

• Friday, 18 July, Burnby Hall, Pocklington, 3 – 6pm
• Monday, 21 July, The Employment and Skills Centre, 33 Lairgate, Beverley,
  3-7pm
• Wednesday, 23 July, The Pavillion Leisure Centre, Withernsea, 3-7pm
• Thursday, 24 July, The Bell Hotel, Driffield, 3-7pm

Sara Arnold, employment, education and skills manager, said: “We have apprenticeship vacancies with local employers to start in August so we are keen to talk to people about these opportunities and to see if they are suitable to put forward to the employer. With young people having just left school, or just about to, we’re hoping to find some good people who have the right attitude to apply for vacancies now. If you’re thinking about an apprenticeship, but not sure if you’re quite ready, the team can also help you out in terms of upskilling, careers advice and preparing for job interviews, so do come along and see what’s on offer for you.”

Councillor Jane Evison, cabinet portfolio holder for economy, investment and inequalities at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The council takes a pro-active approach in helping young people find employment and training and this is evident by the low NEET (Not in education, employment or training) rate in this area.

“Apprenticeships are a popular choice for young people, allowing them to earn-while-they-learn and develop the necessary skills to forge a career in their chosen field.

“The council works closely with employers in the East Riding by supporting the creation of apprenticeship roles and by providing suitable candidates to fill these vacancies, helping grow the local economy.”

Goole and Howdenshire

Luke Patchett, a customer service apprentice at Flourish and Prosper in Howden, said: “I went for an interview for an evening job at Flourish & Prosper and the employer asked if I’d be interested in taking on an apprenticeship as I was just the person they were looking for.

“The best thing about being an apprentice is getting another qualification and earning money at the same time. I’ve also made a good set of friends on the college training course that I attend as part of my apprenticeship.”

Sean Welsh, owner of Flourish and Prosper, said: “Luke has settled in well. He’s interested in his work, enthusiastic and keen to learn. “For the short period of time he has been with us he’s progressed well and we hope that he will become a valuable asset to the company. The whole process of recruiting an apprentice was really straightforward and we get good ongoing support from our training provider.”

Holderness

Maisie Hollingworth, a business administration apprentice at South Holderness Medical Practice, said: “I love my apprenticeship and it was definitely the right decision for me. I’m gaining skills that I wouldn’t get in most workplaces and I’m getting paid at the same time. In addition to my apprenticeship training, I’ve also been provided with other training from the medical practice around customer service and online training for the mental capacity act, equality and diversity and safeguarding children and adults.”

Julie Withey, business manager, said: “Our business administration apprentice Maisie has settled in really well and quickly become part of our team. She is interested in her work, enthusiastic and keen to learn. Our GP partners feel strongly about opening up job opportunities for young people in our area as there are limited jobs locally so the apprenticeship route fits with their vision perfectly.”

Pocklington and Market Weighton

Stephanie McIver, a business administration apprentice at Power Health, said: “It was really daunting leaving school and I felt that I needed to be doing something, but wasn’t sure what. Luckily, when I started college, I met a lot of people who were apprentices and the idea of training for a qualification and earning money at the same time really appealed to me.

“I looked on the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) website and saw that there were lots of vacancies in this area. I saw the Power Health business administration apprenticeship vacancy advertised and decided to apply for it.”

Vicky McIver, owner at Power Health, said: “Stephanie has settled in well. She is interested in her work, enthusiastic and keen to learn. For the short period of time she has been with us she’s progressed well and we hope that she will become a valuable asset to the company. The whole process of recruiting an apprentice was really straightforward and we get good ongoing support from our training provider.”

To join the apprenticeship pool you must bring along an up to date CV (and leave it with us) and live, or be looking to work, in the East Riding. Only people with the right attitude and a genuine interest in being an apprentice will be accepted into the apprenticeship pool (apprenticeship wages start at £2.68 per hour).