http://bdaily.co.uk/news/lifestyle/04-04-2012/necc-and-housing-provider-create-200-apprenticeships/

NECC and housing provider create 200 apprenticeships

Published in Lifestyle on 04 Apr 2012The NECC has teamed with national housing provider Home Group to deliver 200 apprenticeships and national work placements.

Apprenticeship and placement opportunities will be delivered through the NECC to Home Group’s clients and customers over the next year.

The Tyneside-based provider has more than 55,000 properties throughout the UK, providing homes to 120,000 people a year in over 200 local authority areas.

Apprenticeship programmes will cover administration, housing, customer service, youth work and a variety of others across Home Group’s national network.

NECC Director of Training and Skills Development, Patricia Wilkinson, said: “I am delighted that we have secured this important contract, which is a clear demonstration of Home Group’s faith in our capabilities to provide high quality apprenticeships and training.

“We will utilise the entire British Chambers of Commerce network to manage and deliver this important contract to ensure training needs are met at a local level wherever appropriate.”

Rosemary Du Rose, Home Group’s executive director of customer service, said: “It’s very important to us to not only build high quality homes but to create thriving communities and offering our customers the chance of employment and a step onto the career ladder is one way we can help achieve this.

“It seems only fitting that we offer these fantastic opportunities to our customers and those living in Home Group communities.

“We’re offering a wide range of opportunities for those who want to work in an office in business administration, those who feel they can make a difference to communities through youth work and those who want to learn traditional trades.”

The project will see Home Group offer training and apprenticeship to customers or DWP Work Programme clients, all lasting between 12-24 months, depending on the job role.

It follows the Government’s announcement that all apprenticeships will last a minimum of 12 months.

Commenting on the changes, Rosemary said: “We are 100% behind the Government on this. Apprenticeships must be meaningful and this represents a level of commitment to keep people within an organisation for a significant period of time.

“It is important though that there is a commitment by employers on substance as well as duration. Home Group is offering apprenticeships in everything from customer service through to technical roles such as trainee surveyors.

“We are adamant that each one is underpinned by a commitment to give people the skills either to work here full-time after they complete their apprenticeship or with other employers who recognise that their skills-set has been developed by a national housing provider.

“It is important that we don’t see this as a one-way commitment. While employers have a responsibility to make an apprenticeship meaningful, the apprentice has to recognise that they also need to perform well throughout their training.”

Paul Champion
Strategic Project Manager

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