Have you considered employing an apprentice in your service?

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Apprenticeships are available to anyone aged 16 or over who is not in full-time education, and is eligible to work in the UK. There are no set minimum hours in Scotland, but in order to meet the training requirements, most apprenticeships start at 20hrs per week.

At present, we have 47 apprentices employed by Aberdeenshire Council, based in a wide variety of services. We have apprentices in ICT, Care, Business Services, Leisure, as well as Fleet Services and Housing Repairs.

83% of our apprentices stay with us after completing their training, and have gone on to work for the council as ICT support analysts,  social care officers and systems officers, to name but a few.

In terms of the benefits of employing an apprentice, they can:

  • Address skills gaps, ensuring you have the right people with the right skills
  • Bring fresh ideas and new ways of working
  • Help your wider team grow through peer support and buddying
  • Be moulded to meet team and skill needs

Jim Savege, speaking at the recent Apprentice of the Year Awards commented: “We currently employ 47 apprentices. I would like to see this figure grow substantially, and my challenge to all services is to take steps to significantly increase the number of apprentices across all council services. HR&OD will be on hand to support you with this, and I would encourage you to contact them for further information.”

If you are interested in finding out how you could benefit from an apprentice in your team, or if you would like to find out more, please contact a member of the Resourcing Team at recruitmentadvice@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

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