Around Ealing February 2018 | Page 15

APPRENTICESHIPS “I think there are a lot of pressures on young people to go to university or follow certain career paths. I thought about university, but realised it wasn’t the right choice for me. “The council’s apprenticeship programme was the perfect choice for me. It gave me a step-up into the world of full-time employment while still receiving lots of support and training. It has been a really positive experience and I would encourage anyone leaving school who is unsure of what they want to do next to consider an apprenticeship.” Ellis was awarded a signific ant achievement award at the council’s annual awards and is to work for a level 4 qualification. ‘WE HEAR COUNTLESS TESTIMONIALS’ Councillor Peter Mason, cabinet member for prosperity, skills, employment and transformation, said: “Apprenticeships work for everyone. They provide apprentices with unrivalled, on-the-job training and a route into a career while also making a huge contribution to the companies they are placed with – or, indeed, to the council. “We hear countless testimonials about the positive impact they make. “More than 650 apprenticeship vacancies have been created in five years through our work with local businesses, with more than 200 additional placements being created at the council itself in the past 10 years. “We have a wide variety of opportunities available again this year and I’d encourage anyone reading this who is interested to find out more immediately.” Interested? Here is what to do next The first thing to do is visit www.ealing.gov.uk/ apprenticeships – and from here you can: 1. Find out more about the Ealing Council apprenticeship scheme, eligibility criteria and to sign up to receive apprenticeship vacancies updates 2. Or, if you think you have what it takes to fill one of the 129 placements with our local businesses, fill in an online questionnaire. You could be invited to a workshop or to meet with an advisor. Ellis Donaldson around ealing    February 2018 15