KIER North Tyneside, which delivers repairs and maintenance services for North Tyneside Council, is currently recruiting for 10 apprentices to work across a number of professional trades, continuing the company’s long-standing commitment to supporting local young people into employment.
Interviews will be taking place next month and successful candidates will start with the company in October.
The full-time 12-month appointments will combine on-the-job work experience with supporting classroom sessions for the trainees, including two plumbers, two plasterers, three administration staff, two customer services representatives and one IT applications operative.
The trainees will gain a wide variety of experience while working towards professional qualifications in their chosen trade.
Kier North Tyneside is recruiting its apprentices from within local apprenticeship academies, Future Strategies and Constructing Communities, who will shortlist applicants with the Kier team carrying out the final interviews.
Kier North Tyneside currently employs nine apprentices who are training to become qualified joiners, heating and ventilation fitters, gas plumbers and electricians.
All of the apprenticeships will go to young people from North Tyneside.
Kier North Tyneside regional director Mike Furze, said: “The number of apprenticeships being offered to young people is decreasing in the current climate and young people aren’t being given adequate opportunities. At Kier, we are committed to making a positive contribution to the local economy, as well as benefiting local people by providing them with high-quality work experience and training opportunities.
“We look forward to welcoming these apprentices as a new generation of Kier team members.”
Also benefiting the local community is Kier’s Community Challenge initiative, through which Kier staff volunteer to deliver projects which benefit community organisations. Thanks to this scheme, Wallsend Boys Club has opened the doors to a new community kitchen.
Kier helped turn a disused storage area into the kitchen, which the youth club will use to prepare and sell refreshments on match days to raise valuable funds for the activities it runs for local children.
The challenge included the fitting of new kitchen cupboards, flooring, wall tiles and kitchen equipment.
Volunteers from Kier, Wallsend Boys Club staff and parents worked side by side to provide skilled and unskilled labour to help successfully complete the kitchen.
Wallsend Boys Club chairman Steve Dale said: “We are thrilled with the end result of the challenge; the club would have really struggled to provide these facilities without the help of Kier.
“Everyone enjoyed the community spirit and teamwork over the weekend and on behalf of the young people in our club I would like to thank the Kier team for all their hard work.”
For more information visit www.kier.co.uk