Member Article

County Durham apprenticeship scheme launched

A County Durham apprentice scheme is set to bring social change to the area by developing a programme for young people living far from employment opportunities.

Community Impact Enterprise has now enlisted the services of 10 apprentices, with several more expected to follow across the North East.

The initial recruits will work on the Urban Blitz scheme, which will train them to carry out community environmental and cleaning tasks to collaboration with Durham County Council and Stanley Town Council.

CIE was developed by Peter Robinson, CEO of national environmental and cleaning specialist Nordic Pioneer, and Kully Brooks, managing director of Focus Training and Development, which delivers work based learning programmes, support and consultancy services.

Speaking at the launch of CIE’s first apprenticeship programme at Stanley Town Council’s depot in Annfield Plain, Mr Robinson said: “We’re delighted to get the programme off the ground at a time when so many young people are facing an uncertain future amid mass unemployment.

“We hope to contribute to a strong, sustainable and socially inclusive economy and aim to achieve this by creating real, sustainable employment opportunities through collaborative approaches.”

The scheme will initially be launched in the Derwentside area of County Durham, and is expected to roll out across the wider region in the coming months.

CIE’s founders decided to set up the organisation in response to the current conditions which, in the fourth quarter of 2011, left 1.2 million 16 – 19 year olds out of work, with unemployment as a whole rising to 8.3%.

Alongside Mr Robinson and Mrs Brooks, other members of the CIE team include Martin Briscoe, area supervisor of Clean and Green North, and apprentice programme manager Michael Garner.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .