Supported Internship leads to Furniture Link apprenticeship for Alex
Alex Cochraine has started an apprenticeship with a Telford furniture firm after impressing during a Supported Internship programme.
Alex secured a Supported Internship with Furniture Link through Telford & Wrekin Council’s Job Box service whilst at Telford College and is now working towards a Warehousing Operative apprenticeship.
He gained lots of valuable skills and experience with the firm through the internship and will now add to them and gain a qualification at the same time.
Alex, 20, started his Supported Internship programme at Furniture Link in March 2025 with two shifts a week.
He was given an induction into the firm and trained how to use a PPT truck and after impressing, Furniture Link offered him an additional shift which he agreed to.
Supported Internships help young people with special educational needs to gain valuable workplace experience.
The programme is a government initiative (DfE) to support young people with SEND (special educational needs and disability) and targets 16 to 24-year-olds.
It aims to boost their confidence and skills through placements with local employers which could lead to paid employment.
People who apply must have received support at school with special educational needs or a disability.
Supported Internships give young people an opportunity to gain relevant work experience that matches their career goals, aspirations and capabilities with a local employer and they also spend time in college working on employability skills, Maths and English.
Programmes last from six to 12 months and typically, the young person will spend part of the week in training and the rest of it in the workplace.
Supported Internships are also a great way to help businesses grow and support their own recruitment and a fantastic way to give the young person practical experience of the workplace and move them closer to the job market.
Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment & Skills, said: “It’s fantastic that Alex has been taken on as a full-time warehouse operative apprentice with Furniture Link following a successful Supported Internship programme.
“Supported Internships can transform the lives of young people with special needs or disabilities, giving them an important foothold in the workplace, boosting their skills and confidence at the same time, which set them up for paid employment and a future career.
“These programmes are invaluable for young people who want to gain hugely beneficial workplace experience and take their first steps on the employment ladder.
“Throughout his time with Furniture Link, Alex has really built his confidence up and he is now a very valued member of the team. We wish him all the best with his apprenticeship.”
Furniture Link is based at Hortonwood 60 in Hadley and is a trusted furniture importer and supplier offering elegant furniture for every space in the home.
Julie Reynolds, General Manager at Furniture Link, said: “We were delighted to be able to offer Alex the opportunity of an apprenticeship at Furniture Link.
“This has enabled Alex to become a full-time member of our warehouse team and to expand his learning even further.
“Alex is always punctual, hardworking and eager to learn. It has been a pleasure to see him grow and develop his communication and warehousing skills so much over recent months and he is proving to be a great asset to the team.”
