This week brings National Apprenticeship Week, allowing councils the opportunity to celebrate the impact that apprenticeships bring to local government workforces, as well as the opportunities they afford in communities.
Norwich City Council has confirmed that it has provided 27 apprenticeships since 2018, with 15 of these already completing their courses. The remaining 12 are currently still finishing their studies, with a variation of courses across the council and work continuously being done to engage with local schools to ensure that trust is built up.
Leader of Norwich City Council, Cllr Mike Stonard, commented on the way that apprentices work within the council:
“The contribution our apprentices make to the work of the council is invaluable and our apprenticeship programme is an integral part of how we operate at City Hall. It not only offers opportunities for younger people to join the council at the start of their careers, but it is also a way for established members of staff to retrain in other areas.”
In Derby, the city council has marked the occasion by highlighting how it uses apprenticeships to the benefit of local businesses. It is doing so by transferring a quarter of the apprenticeship levy to local employers to ensure that they can bring in apprentices, upskilling their workforce from local communities.
Touching on the benefits that businesses can unlock through apprenticeships, Councillor John Whitby, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Learning and Skills, said:
“Having an apprentice as part of your business can be extremely rewarding for both you and the apprentice. By becoming an apprentice, you can have fantastic career opportunities presented to you all whilst earning essential qualifications. These apprenticeships can also lead straight into a permanent position so you can continue developing your career at the same business you completed your apprenticeship at.”
The variation of roles that can be filled has also been shown off by North East Lincolnshire Council. Currently employing 62 apprentices some of the roles being filled include Learning and Development, Business Support, Accounts, and ICT.
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