Pictured above: Anthony Harris is sparkling in his new job as a silversmith at LJ Millington in Birmingham with support from Pertemps People Development Group and Birmingham City Council

A Birmingham man is sparkling in his new job as a trainee silversmith thanks to finding work through a pilot pre-apprenticeship project in the jewellery industry which is supported by Birmingham City Council's Working Neighbourhoods Innovation Fund.

Anthony Harris's unemployment ordeal ended when he clinched the golden opportunity thanks to his own hard work and dedication, and support provided through the pilot pre-apprenticeship project and assistance from Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG).

Anthony, aged 20, from Newtown, had been out of work for around seven months when he was approached by PPDG to see whether he would be interested in the pre-apprenticeship opportunity.

He was given training through the government-funded Work Focused Training initiative and sent on a course to develop his interview technique, CV and customer services skills in preparation for future employment. The training was organized through the Government-funded Work Focused Training initiative which provides vocational training opportunities and employability skills to 18 to 24-year-olds.

The initiative is part of the Government's Backing Young Britain campaign, in partnership with the Future Jobs Fund and the Community Taskforce, which encourages organisations to provide young people with the opportunities they need to get into work.

When PPDG employment coach Chris Naylor suggested the pre-apprenticeship scheme Anthony jumped at the chance. After successfully completing an extensive recruitment process organised by the WNF project he is now working full time at L J Millington Silversmith, one of Birmingham's top silversmiths, based on Nursery Road, in Newtown, and is loving every minute of it.

Anthony said: "I had been working in a factory but lost my job after last Christmas. I went to Jobcentre Plus who in turn put me in touch with PPDG. They sent me on a course which taught me the skills I needed to enhance my chances of securing work.

"I hadn't thought about the jewellery industry but when I was offered an opportunity to train as a silversmith I jumped at the chance. It is a really interesting job and I am learning new skills every day. I am so grateful to PPDG and the city council for offering this opportunity. I want to make a career for myself as a silversmith. I have been in and out of jobs since I was 17 but this is a career I want to continue with for the rest of my life. I am just delighted that I have been given this chance."

PPDG is providing vocational training linked to the needs of the local labour market that progresses young people towards the achievement of full Level 2 or 3 vocational qualifications that can be continued in work or around work if required.

PPDG's team of employment experts provide advice on benefits, confidence building, one-to-one support, CV and interview preparation as well as finding the right job or training course. In partnership with DWP, the Ministry of Justice and Jobcentre Plus, PPDG delivers a diverse range of employment and training initiatives including Flexible New Deal, Working Neighbourhoods Fund, Learndirect and many ESF funded programmes. More than 100,000 job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the company since the projects began.  It has trained 130,000 people in vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have benefitted from professional information, advice and guidance services.