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28
September
2015
|
11:44
Europe/London

You’re hired! Hackney Homes recruits nine new apprentices

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Nine aspiring young people have joined the Hackney Homes Apprenticeship Scheme in a variety of construction and grounds maintenance roles.

Whittled down from more than 130 hopefuls, the successful new apprentices aged between 16 and 18 passed the application process, which consisted of an interview and written test, before getting the news they had been accepted onto the programme.

The apprentices will work alongside qualified operatives in addition to attending college to study for a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). They will gain practical experience and learn one of a range of trades: plumbing, electrical, multi-trade, gas or for the first time since the scheme began, grounds maintenance.

Electrical apprentice, Lucy Ransom, 17, said: “It’s an old fashioned idea to think that the construction industry is only for men. I am excited to begin my career with Hackney Homes and look forward to learning new skills whilst earning money.

“As a female apprentice, I have the advantage of being able to go in to the homes of some female residents who may be intimidated by male workers and make them feel comfortable and at ease.”

James Griffin, 18, the first gardening apprentice on the scheme, said: “When I was younger, I loved to garden with my mum. That feeling inspired me to get into grounds maintenance. It’s an exciting opportunity to learn, meet new people and keep fit whilst at work.”

Currently 10 per cent of the building maintenance workforce within Hackney Homes is made up of apprentices. Since the scheme began in 2002, more than 75 apprentices have been recruited and 85 per cent have gained full time employment.

Cllr Philip Glanville, Cabinet Member for Housing
It’s great to have such a large number of new apprentices, including the first grounds maintenance apprentice. It’s brilliant to see a that the majority are from Hackney.

It was a pleasure to meet them and to hear the enthusiasm for their new roles. This scheme provides our local young people with a valuable trade and the experience needed to enter employment and make a difference to the lives of residents across the borough.
Cllr Philip Glanville, Cabinet Member for Housing