Find out about apprenticeships in Ipswich

A local charity is trying to make more people aware of the apprenticeship opportunities that are available in Ipswich.

Papworth Trust runs a scheme in partnership with Ipswich Borough Council, helping 18-24 year olds to find apprenticeships.

The charity’s staff also work directly with local businesses to help them hire apprentices, including sourcing the candidates and doing the paperwork for free.

On Wednesday October 22 the apprentice team will spend the day at the Suffolk Skills Show at Trinity Park in Ipswich, offering young people career advice.

One young person the Trust has helped to get a foot on the career ladder is 23 year old apprentice Justin Sayer.

Justin had been job searching for around six months before Papworth Trust helped him to secure an apprenticeship as an administrator at the Lighthouse Group. The Lighthouse Group specialises in high quality leadership and management development programmes.

“An apprenticeship was a good option for me, as I had found job searching a vicious circle,” he said. “I never seemed to have enough experience to get a job, but I wasn’t given the chance to get the experience I needed.

“I’m getting some great experience here; I’m working my way towards something and seeing how my role evolves. As well as my day to day job preparing for the courses that we offer, I’ve also been given a marketing project to develop my skills in that area. I would definitely recommend apprenticeships to other young people.”

Gill Henderson from the Lighthouse Group added, “We’d thought about taking on an apprentice for a while, but it had seemed too complicated. When Vicky from Papworth Trust got in touch I said: ‘We’ll take on an apprentice if you make the process simple’ and she did! She sent us candidates’ CVs, and all of them were appropriate for the role.

“We looked at taking on one apprentice, possibly two, but three people really stood out – they all had different skills but we thought that together they would make a really strong team. I don’t know how we would have coped without them.”

Vicky Matthews from Papworth Trust said, “We’re trying to make more people aware of the apprenticeship opportunities that are out there in Ipswich. It can be difficult for many young people to get into work, and apprenticeships can really help them to develop the skills they need to get on the career ladder. We’ll be at the Suffolk Skills Show on Wednesday October 22 to answer any questions you might have.”

The team will be at the Suffolk Skills Show between 9.30am and 7pm on Wednesday October 22.

The event is being held at Trinity Park, Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, IP3 8UH.

To find out more about the scheme go to: www.papworthtrust.org.uk