Riverside apprentice is on track to gain valuable work experience

It’s National Apprenticeship Week and Riverside is proud to be helping young people take their first step in to the working world.

Our Employment and Training programme is there to help people on the path to learn new skills so they can secure a job and transform their life.

Among those we have helped is 19-year-old Ross Bell, from Longtown in Carlisle, who accessed support when he visited his local Riverside Job Club. Staff helped him register on to the Employment and Training service offered to tenants and residents. Ross was studying at Sixth Form but didn’t want to go to university, so he wanted to find out what other options were available to him.

At the Job Club he was given help to write his CV, compose cover letters and complete online job applications. Staff were able to find Ross an apprenticeship through our partnership work with Gen2, who provide training for young people and adults.

Ross, who has been a business administration apprentice for three months, said: “I chose to do an apprenticeship because I hadn’t really had a job before now, and the best way for me to build a career was to gain work experience.

“I was planning to study design at university, then in the last two years at school I realised I didn’t want to be paying tuition fees and sat in a classroom learning. I also didn’t want to dive into a full-time job as I didn’t feel comfortable taking on the responsibilities of work.

“I went along to the local job club and I was able to find this opportunity to work full-time at Komatsu Forest as an administrator, and attend college once a month to complete a Business Administration Apprenticeship NVQ Level 2.

“I’m not the most confident of people, but over the last couple of months I am happy to say I’ve become more of an outgoing person in both work and my personal life. I can use this course as proof that I am competent with understanding how I should work in the future.”

Gail Jenson, who is Riverside Project Team Leader and has helped Ross secure the apprenticeship, said: “The Employment and Training service continues to offer Ross ‘in work’ support and I’m really pleased to say that feedback about Ross from Gen2 and Komatsu is very positive. He has adapted well to work, is a team player and is continually developing his skills and experience in the work place.”

For information on Riverside’s national apprenticeship programme visit www.riverside.org.uk/you-your-home/employment-training/apprenticeships/