The Warrington-based Golden Gates Housing Trust (GGHT) has set itself a mission to have apprentices make up 10 per cent of its total workforce, as part of efforts to make sure its staff are fully trained to offer the best quality work possible.
The housing trust has recently taken on 18 new trainee workers on its way to achieving the 10 per cent proportion. The new trainee workers are mostly younger local people, who are trying to take their first professional steps, and older people who have been unemployed long-term and are looking to find new work.
The chairman of the trust’s board, Roy Smith, told the Warrington Guardian that he was extremely pleased that GGHT could contribute to the working economy of the local area and said that he was looking forward to helping the trainees and apprentices to develop their skills and careers.
He explained, “Given the high levels of unemployment we are currently seeing and the cuts to the benefit system, we feel that our commitment to helping our tenants and young people get into work and training is more important than ever.”
The workers are taking up 12-month trainee positions where they will focus on learning the basic construction skills and proficiencies that will allow them to carry out repair work on the trust’s homes. They will be studying for NVQ qualifications during their working placements.