Council Launches New Apprenticeship And Trainee Plans

Helping improve people’s lives and tackle poverty, more apprenticeship and trainee placements than ever before being are made available at Swansea Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The placements form part of a new Corporate Apprentice and Trainee Strategy that the council has now launched. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To coincide with the strategy’s launch and the start of National Apprenticeship Week, the council is now advertising for 14 new apprentices – 12 in its corporate building and property services team, and two in its adult social care team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Four-year apprenticeship positions in the corporate building and property services team are available in plumbing, electrics, carpentry, plastering and bricklaying. In the adult social care team, apprentice day support workers are wanted to help support vulnerable people in communities across Swansea, with the successful candidates also expected to work towards qualifications in health and social care. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

You can apply at www.swansea.gov.uk/jobs ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other apprentice and trainee positions could also soon be made available in council departments including IT, waste management, highways, economic regeneration and parks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Some apprenticeship and work experience placements would be specifically targeted at young people, the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups. Opportunities would also link into the council’s corporate parenting role for young people leaving its care system. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new strategy is initially being launched as a pilot scheme to help the council get a better understanding of realistic targets and sources of funding that may be available. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A number of council departments and partner organisations are attending the launch of the new strategy, including training providers and experts in developing people’s employability skills. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Andrea Lewis, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Next Generation Services, said: “This new strategy is about improving local people’s lives by making more apprenticeship and trainee placements available at the council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As well as supporting the city’s vulnerable and helping people learn skills like carpentry and plumbing, placements will also be made available in departments responsible for areas including roads, parks, green spaces and Swansea’s exciting future regeneration plans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These positions will be hugely beneficial for the successful applicants because they’ll provide invaluable experience in the workplace, while boosting their employability skills and opportunities for permanent work at the same time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Building on a number of successful schemes that are already in place, this new cross-department strategy at the council will also help tackle poverty by giving groups including our young people and the long-term unemployed the chance to earn while they learn.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other success stories include the beyond bricks and mortar scheme, which ensures work opportunities for local people are part of every major council construction project, as well as the council’s on-going work alongside NEETs – young people not in education, employment or training – which has been recognised nationally as an example of best practice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Since it was first introduced, the apprenticeship scheme run by the corporate building and property services team has benefitted more than 150 young people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​