Council sets work scheme challenge

The 100 in 100 Challenge hopes to collect 100 pledges from businesses, between now and June, to explore taking on an apprentice.

The council’s Apprenticeship Hub – one of eight in the Leeds City Region – is sending its Business Brokers out to work with firms and offer support in recruiting a suitable candidate.

And a Heckmondwike firm is leading the way in helping the council to meet its challenge as part of National Apprenticeship Week, which runs until Friday.

Engineering firm 600 UK has already signed up to the Apprenticeship Hub and has sung the praises of having an apprentice on board to learn on the job.

Sales director Howard Bamforth said: “When they came into 600 UK, we told them all about our firm, what we were looking for and what we wanted the apprentice to do. They were invaluable and saved us a huge amount of time and effort in cutting through the red tape and finding the right person for our business.”

Eighteen-year-old Victoria Gibson joined 600 UK as an apprentice in December after deciding university was not for her.

She said: “I enjoy working with the different people across the support teams of the business and the range of skills I am learning will set me up well for my future career.”

Firms with fewer than 1,000 employees who have not taken on an apprentice in the last year are eligible for a £1,500 grant.

Call the Business Brokers team on 01484 437075 or email [email protected].