Hillingdon goes all out for apprentices

A handful of lucky aspiring lawyers from the London borough of Hillingdon will benefit from legal apprenticeship training from today (March 15th) as the council celebrates National Apprenticeship Week.

High-flying legal eagles Muna Ahmed, Jagjit Sandhu, Ganga Bala and Madison O'Callaghan will gain practical skills and experience from participating in the programme, comprised of a Level Two Legal Administration Apprenticeship qualification.

ILEXTutorialCollege and Vision Apprentices will jointly deliver the training, although the local council is set to employ the lucky participants on a two-year contract as part of the deal.

The scheme represents a first for the UK as it focuses specifically on legal training for young people interested in pursuing a career in a certain field, and has been set up in order to combat a highly competitive job market for those new to the industry.

Participants will receive six-months of experience in each of the four key legal areas, comprised of central support, housing and property, social services and corporate and planning department.

Cabinet Member for Central Services, Cllr Scott Seaman-Digby, said: "The jobs market has never been more competitive, and so the council is pleased to be able to offer these young people the opportunity to kick start their legal career, and gain a qualification at the same time."

He added that apprenticeships are valuable not only for young people who benefit from the experience and connections but also for the companies providing the training as their trainees may bring new ideas, skills and energy to the table.

Legal Apprentice, Muna Ahmed, told the press that she is "really looking forward to getting some practical experience within the council, which will help me start my career in the legal industry".

National Apprenticeship Week is an annual event that takes place across the nation in an effort to get more youngsters out of the job centre and into jobs that allow for a balance between training and hands-on experience.

Published 15th March, 2013

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