Three leading UK charities have teamed up with City and Islington College to launch an apprenticeship scheme to help young people gain entry to the international development sector.
ActionAid UK, Plan UK and Christian Aid will hire a total of seven apprentices, who will attend the 12-month Business Administration Apprenticeship Scheme on day release from the charities, where they will receive on-the-job training. Apprentices will earn an hourly rate of £8.80 which is considerably higher than allowed for by existing legislation.
Richard Miller, executive director of ActionAid, said: “The introduction of an apprenticeship scheme will enable young people, including those without university qualifications, to gain entry to the international development sector. We hope that by recruiting apprentices from the local community and from a different range of backgrounds we will create more entry routes into our organisation. Working in collaboration with Plan UK and Christian Aid will allow us to share our learning and ensure that our apprentices have the opportunity to earn while they learn in a real job, gaining a real qualification and a real future.”
Tanya Barron, chief executive of Plan UK, said: “I also think an apprenticeship scheme will help us achieve a more diverse workforce, attracting young people from different backgrounds.”
