L_R Lynne Featherstone, Louise Lever, Sue Welsh, Paul Head, Bianca Pierre 

Apprentices Bianca Pierre (18) and Louise Lever (19) from the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, met Lynne Featherstone, Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green and Equalities Minister, as she toured Queenswood Medical Centre last Friday (1 July).

Lynne Featherstone’s fact finding visit was to find out more about the importance of apprenticeships to local people in gaining work and training, as well as the beneficial role apprentices play for local businesses.

Bianca and Louise’s apprenticeships are in Business Administration at Intermediate Level. Bianca started working for the local surgery in November and Louise began in December 2010.

Bianca said: “On leaving School I found it hard to get work. My apprenticeship has given me invaluable work experience, a salary, and work related qualifications.” 

Louise added: “I applied on the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS) website and after going into the College to discuss my career plans I also got help with interviewing skills. I’ve only been at the practice a while, but I feel as though I’ve never looked back.”

Paul Head, Principal and Chief Executive at the College, said: “The Health Service is a great place to gain employment experience and for a young person to work towards an apprentice qualification.

“The College sees these apprenticeships as being helpful to Bianca and Louise as well as Queenswood Medical Centre.   The surgery is supporting local people in employment and training, and gaining skilled workers to meet their needs as an employer.”

The College offers apprenticeships in almost every possible field of employment at Intermediate, Higher and Advanced Levels. 

These include: Accountancy; Business and Administration; Beauty Therapy; Carpentry; Children’s Learning and Development; Cleaning and Support Services; Customer Services; Fashion and Textiles; Hairdressing; Health and Social Care; Housing; Horticulture; Information Technology; Painting and Decorating; Plumbing; Rail Engineering; Sports and Fitness; Team Leading and Youth Work.

The College has its own dedicated Apprenticeship Training Agency, called Apprenticeships First, which matches apprentices to employers.

As an apprentice you can expect to earn £95 a week, spend some time at College and most of your time in your workplace – and at the end of your apprenticeship you will not only have gained  work experience, you will also have gained a recognised qualification.

For more information about apprenticeships at the College call 0800 678 3000.