The year long ‘Kick Start Your Career’ future young apprentices programme was aimed at equipping young people from Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley, Bromley and Southwark for future employment. The trainees took part in construction skills and health and safety training days, and a two week construction course at Lewisham College.
Their practical training was followed by a residential working trip to the Wide Horizons Tyn y Berth centre in Wales, where the trainees carried out construction and refurbishment work on an outdoor centre, enjoying a number of team-building adventure activities in their leisure time.
As a follow up to the construction aspects of the programme, Apollo also offered the young students a two day CV writing and interview skills course at its Learning and Development Centre.
The culmination of the course saw the trainees presented with course certificates at a special awards evening in London and in recognition of its involvement in and commitment to this initiative, L&Q awarded Apollo with its Contractor of the Year award for Corporate and Social Responsibility.
David Montague, Chief Executive of L&Q, said: “We are very proud of all the young people who took part in the scheme. It is a great project and we are delighted that it has so successfully provided an opportunity for many young people to gain access to fun training exercises and work experience in the construction industry.”
Apollo Senior Contracts Manager, Steve Page, said: “Thanks to the enthusiasm of the young people and the proactive attitude adopted by the volunteers on this programme, it has been a huge success. We are all very proud of the young students who grasped our offer of help with both hands and congratulate them for all that they have achieved.
“That we have been able to offer apprenticeships to two of the trainees, with other partners in the programme hoping to follow suit, underlines the success and relevance of the initiative.”
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