Modern apprentices – getting paid, getting qualified and getting jobs
Modern Apprenticeship Week saw some 25 young people gather at the Municipal Buildings in Greenock to highlight how the scheme is helping them get paid, get qualified and get a job.
The programme is funded by Skills Development Scotland and Inverclyde Council. The council is one of the area’s biggest employers. It has no less than 22 modern apprentices on its own books with a further three more due to start soon.
Angela Rodgers started as a modern apprentice with the council in 2014. Today she’s a Procurement Development Officer, with an SVQ in Business & Administration, an SVQ in Procurement and a Level 2 Certificate in Procurement & Supply.
She said, “The Modern Apprenticeship Programme is a good stepping stone and it has really allowed me to develop my career. It has certainly helped me to go further than I might have done otherwise.
“As a modern apprentice you get paid a full-time wage and you get to use everything that you study in your day-to-day job. It also opens other doors and puts you on a fast track to realising your potential.”
Councillor Michael McCormick, Convener of Inverclyde Council’s Environment & Regeneration Committee, said, “Quality training for staff is the key to success for every forward looking organisation and Inverclyde Council is no exception. We view the Modern Apprenticeship Programme as an excellent way to build a well-qualified workforce.
“A modern apprenticeship is a fantastic opportunity for any young person to learn skills and gain practical experience in a work environment – a valuable commodity in today’s competitive job market.
“Modern apprenticeships offer a real head-start when it comes to employability especially as the young person gets paid the appropriate modern apprenticeship rate for the job – earning while they’re learning.
“We have modern apprentices in a variety of fields, such as Accountancy, Business & Administration, Customer Service, Childcare, Electrical Engineering, Life Sciences, Paralegal Studies, Procurement and Waste Management.”
An apprenticeship can take between one and four years to complete, depending on the level of the programme, the apprentice's ability and the industry sector. The programme is open to young people aged between 16 and 19 who live in Inverclyde.
All council-based modern apprentices receive a contract of employment and are employed full time with the same rights and responsibilities as other staff. All modern apprentices also work towards a nationally recognised qualification.