Pictured above: (l-r) Housing apprentices Stephanie
Wheeler, Lauren Upton, Charlotte Heath, Nicola Morgan, Abbi
Hopkinson and Alyshia Vernon
Foundations are in place for six ambitious young people from
North Staffordshire to have a successful career in housing.
The fortunate group of under-24s have been selected to take part
in a trail-blazing apprenticeship scheme which could see them
qualify as housing officers in as little as two years.
The life-changing opportunity comes as the government underlines
its pledge to dramatically increase house building in the UK.
"The housing sector can offer some of the best career
opportunities around," said Will Nixon, Director of Regeneration
for the Aspire Group.
The apprenticeships have been launched thanks to a unique
collaboration between Aspire Housing, Epic Housing and
Staffordshire Housing Association, whose common aim is to ensure a
supply of talented, qualified youngsters entering the sector in
future years.
The successful candidates - chosen from dozens of hopeful
applicants and a final shortlist of ten - will receive training and
on-the-job experience culminating in NVQ qualifications recognised
throughout the industry.
The course is being delivered by PM Training, a social
enterprise that tackles worklessness among young people and part of
the Aspire Group. It is believed the pioneering programme is the
first of its kind in the West Midlands.
Will Nixon, who combines his Aspire Group role with that of PM
Training Chief Executive said: "Despite the economic environment
the need for good quality housing and services remains as strong as
ever so these young people are joining a sector that is critically
important and their new skills will be in great demand for years to
come."
Barry Pitts, business development director with Staffordshire
Housing Association added: "We built the scheme to give the
apprentices a broad housing experience, and they are being rotated
between the three organisations. They are settling in well
and we look forward to seeing them develop into the housing
sector's future leaders."
The apprentices were recruited from two age groups - 16-18, and
19-24 - and will be learning key skills such as customer service
and estate management.
They will emerge with a full understanding of the housing sector
and a more detailed knowledge of the three sponsor
associations.
Julie Hallam, PM Training's Customer Services Manager said: "The
three younger candidates are working towards NVQ Level 2 in
customer service for the first 12 months, and will then progress to
the two year housing apprenticeship programme.
"The other three - who have all left other jobs to join the
programme - have gone straight onto the housing apprentice scheme.
Although previously employed they wanted something that offered a
proper career structure."
Twenty-one-year-old Nicola Morgan, who is training to be a
housing officer, has been impressed by the scheme: "The opportunity
just came out of the blue. I moved to this area recently from
Bolton where I had been in retail, and was looking for work," she
said.
"When I read the specification for this job it seemed really
interesting, so I applied. And it really is interesting. I've been
out with the neighbourhood officers a few times and there are so
many different things going on.
"It's something different every day."
She added: "Housing as a career is really undersold. No-one ever
brought it up as a potential career, and it wasn't something I had
considered before, but I'd certainly recommend it."