Scheme can help 600 East Lancashire teenagers into work (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Scheme can help 600 East Lancashire teenagers into work

10:57am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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A TEENAGER who dropped out of college has become the first youngster in the area to benefit from a government drive to get youngsters into apprenticeships.

Former Ribbledale High School pupil Daniel Beattie left Blackburn College three months into his course and was left unsure about what to do next.

But determined to make something of himself the 17-year-old undertook training in for a customer service apprenticeship with training provider, North Lancs Training Group in Accrington where he learned about the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers.

The Government scheme offers businesses a £2,500 bonus for each 16 or 17 year-old employed as an apprentice.

It was launched in January and was designed to encourage businesses hire a young person where otherwise they may have struggled.

Daniel was able to secure a apprenticeship with Barrow-based diving school Reefers and Wreckers.

He is gaining customer service experience, diving qualifications and learning about retail at Reefers and Wreckers.

Now other teenagers are being urged to take advantage of the scheme. There are 600 vacancies for it in East Lancashire.

Figures suggest there are almost 4,300 16-25 year-olds in the area not in education or employment.

Daniel said: “I think I am quite lucky.

"I left college after three months but new I didn’t want to be employed in a job in a supermarket for example.

“I didn’t really like college because it wasn’t for me. I wanted to be an architect when I was in school, but the course was just to hard for me.”

Reefers and Wreckers owner Michael Turner said: “Without the grant we wouldn’t have been able to offer Daniel a job but the additional funding has made it an opportunity not to be missed.

"The fact that Daniel will achieve qualifications whilst on his Aapprenticeship means he will develop into a skilled and valuable member of the team, making this a very worthwhile investment.

“Being able to recruit Daniel has meant that the company is able to grow, even in these challenging times. I am able to delegate tasks to him that I would usually undertake myself so I can now get on with developing the business which is great.”