100 apprentices now on career ladder

Date: 20/05/2012. Story submitted by: JamesE

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Over 100 young people from Sheffield have now started an apprenticeship as a result of signing up to Sheffield City Council's 100 Apprenticeship Scheme.

Ezra Wells, 16 of Wisewood, was the 100th apprentice to join the scheme and is now working at Dearneside Fabrications, a leading architectural metalwork company based in Neepsend, where he is learning to be a Draughtsman.

The success of the project has prompted Council Leader Julie Dore to release an additional £500,000 to support another 100 businesses to recruit apprentices.

Ezra has settled in quickly with his new employer and said: "It's a pleasure really. I wouldn't expect for me, being this age, to have found such a good place and such a good career. I'm going to make sure I work with no distractions, knuckle down on my studies, attend college, and make a go of this opportunity"

Since being established in 1996, Dearneside Fabrications has become one of the leading architectural metalworkers to the UK construction industry. They have manufactured everything from bespoke feature staircases to football stadium roofs on numerous award-winning developments.

Paul Muldoon, Managing Director at Dearneside Fabrications commented: "In ten years time our business will be founded on people we bring in now. Unfortunately the average age of skilled personnel on our shop floor is late forties and early fifties, and few people over the age of twenty want to come into our industry; it's what's known as a 'dirty pastime' and people are more interested in working with computers and sitting behind a desk. It's good that we can take on people like Ezra, train them up how we want to, and train them in how the company works: Ezra and people similar to Ezra are the company's future."

Cllr Dore added: "The new Sheffield Apprenticeship Programme is different in that it aims to encourage young people who may not have been successful in the past at gaining an apprenticeship, or are most likely to fall out of education, employment or training and are in need of support.

"I would like to encourage all businesses in the city to get involved and support our young people, to help equip them for entering into the jobs market."

Additional info

Address: Sheffield South Yorkshire S6

Tags: Wisewood apprenticeship scheme council