The Wrekin Housing Trust invests in apprenticeships

Tim Munro, the Trust’s Training Manager said: “We have a number of employees at all levels who have forged their careers on the back of an apprenticeship or YTS scheme including the Chief Executive’s PA, Maintenance Supervisors and a Building Services Manager.”

The Trust will be sharing their stories with other staff throughout the week, each of which highlights the importance they placed upon their experience. The Trust will also be highlighting a number of current apprentices and finding out how they are progressing in their careers.

The Wrekin Housing Trust has a good record when it comes to apprentices, having started its new programme in 2007. A total of 17 young people have been taken on as apprentices since then, with a very healthy 82% either still on their apprenticeship, on an improver year or having been taken on full time by the Trust.

Tim added: “As an employer we are really committed to helping young people further their careers and apprenticeships are just one way we achieve this. Between April 2010 and December 2011 alone we provided 33 paid placements on with 17 of those eventually taking up temporary or permanent positions at WHT. Last year alone we also gave over 40 school pupils work experience, and hosted 12 others on an 8 week work placement working in the different areas of our business. Three of these have since gone on to gain employment outside of the Trust.

He also believes that existing employees get a lot from having an apprentice working with them: “Training and being a mentor to an apprentice can be very rewarding, as without the employees any trainee scheme or apprenticeship would not succeed. We are very much looking forward to celebrating National Apprenticeship Week and sharing some inspirational stories.”