Mansfield District Council has welcomed six new apprentices to its workforce.

The new recruits, who all live in Mansfield, will be working in services across the Council, doing a range of apprenticeships, including Business Admin, Health and Social Care and Electrical.

Sixteen-year-old Georgia Hooley, who is taking an apprenticeship in Health and Social Care, said: “I had done voluntary work at Oaklands looking after old and vulnerable adults. I wanted to do an apprenticeship because I wanted to earn money while learning and I felt I would learn more while being active and hands on, rather than just sitting in a classroom doing written work all the time.”

Mansfield and Ashfield District Councils are currently encouraging local businesses to take on a new apprentice by offering grants of up to £1,500. This is in addition to the National Apprenticeship Service’s £1,500 grant that is available for employers.

To be eligible for the Council grant, a business must:
•qualify for the National Apprenticeship Service’s AGE (Apprenticeship Grant for Employers)
•be located in the Ashfield or Mansfield District
•employ less than 250 staff

The position on offer must be newly created and the company must not have recruited an apprentice in the previous 12 months. The apprentice must be between 19 and 24 and live in the Mansfield or Ashfield districts.

Cllr Kate Allsop, Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration, said: “We are delighted to welcome aboard our new apprentices and would like to wish them well, as they take on their new roles within the Council.

“Apprentices can give a real boost to your business and help you achieve your goals, while at the same time creating a skilled workforce. This is a great time to take on an apprentice, as businesses can qualify for up to £1,500 towards the cost of taking on a new person. Get in touch with our Regeneration team to find out how we can help you and what is available.”

For more information, contact Ashfield and Mansfield District Council’s Regeneration Shared Service on: 01623 463 165, email: [email protected]/age or visit www.mansfield.gov.uk/age