Hampshire Apprentices Go Behind the Scenes to See How £2bn Council is Run
Hampshire County Council apprentices have been given a rare glimpse into the heart of local government. As part of National Apprenticeship Week and the Brathay Apprentice Challenge, young apprentices Katie Marke, Shannon Nicholls, and Ashley Murphy spent an afternoon shadowing Councillor Peter Edgar, the Council’s Executive Member for Education.
Learning the Ropes in High Places
Councillor Edgar said: “I really enjoyed working alongside our apprentices. They are a credit to this organisation. Opportunities like this give apprentices a real insight into councillor duties, and I learnt more about how our trainees benefit from their apprenticeships.”
He added: “The Council has promised 1,000 youth jobs by 2018, including 850 apprenticeships through our Youth Investment Programme. It’s invaluable for me to hear directly what experience we’re offering our young recruits.”
“It’s been rewarding to take Katie, Shannon and Ashley through the tricky decisions we face every day. I hope it gave them a sense of the bigger picture.”
Katie Marke said: “It was amazing to see Councillor Edgar in action. We watched meetings and actually saw one decision being made – very exciting! He’s incredibly busy, so we were really grateful for his time.”
Shadowing Senior Bosses
Meanwhile, apprentice Zoe Hughes spent a day with Richard White, Head of the Council’s Integrated Business Centre, which covers HR, IT, and support services.
Zoe said: “It was fascinating to see what senior managers do every day. I met lots of knowledgeable, supportive people who really value apprenticeships.”
Apprentices Take on Big Challenges
Nine Hampshire apprentices are competing in the national Brathay Apprentice Challenge – a series of hands-on work-related tasks designed to boost skills and promote apprenticeships. Their current focus? A huge volunteer project featuring fundraising efforts and a garden makeover to help inspire young people classified as NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training).
