Apprenticeship success in Sefton

Apprentices at Sefton Council have been praised at a special event to highlight the work and contribution they make.
Cllr Paul Tweed, cabinet member corporate services and performance recently met with some of the apprentices currently on one of the programmes to get feedback and comments.
Currently there are more than 50 young people on an apprenticeship scheme in Sefton, learning through a combination of on and off the job training and education from a wide range of different career opportunities.
This includes electrical engineering, finance and administration assistants as well as a ranger working on Sefton’s coast and countryside.
Through the scheme they get to work for a real employer, earn a real salary, gain a real qualification and most importantly gain valuable knowledge, skills and experience that they will be able to use in the future.
A number of apprentices have recently had success which will support their personal and professional development:
Apprentice Dylan Jones, from Springwell Park Primary School, Bootle who is training as a facilities management assistant caretaker, recently won the prestigious Sefton Apprentice of Year 2014, from the Liverpool City Region Annual Apprenticeship Awards, held at Knowsley Hall. The aim of the awards was to recognise and celebrate the city region’s many fantastic apprentices.
Apprentice Ben McNally, who is currently doing an apprenticeship in electrical engineering, based at Bootle Leisure Centre, was recently selected to represent Sefton in the inaugural event of the apprentice ship cup on board the Tall Ship, Lady of Avenel.
The ship, which was crewed by apprentices from all over the North West raced from Oban, in Scotland to Liverpool’s Albert Dock, via Douglas, Isle of Man.
Cllr Paul Tweed, said: “Sefton’s apprenticeship programme, and others like it, provides a valuable opportunity for young people to gain knowledge and experience while gaining a qualification that they can develop and build on in the future. It is great to see our apprentices with enthusiasm for their roles.
“Today’s employers are looking for people who can demonstrate experience and knowledge in a working environment and those on our apprenticeship programme can certainly do that which will give them an advantage when applying for employment in the future.”