Three new apprentices will kick-start their careers this week as they join Monmouthshire County Council to work within the social care team. 

The three eager individuals have joined the team at the start of National Apprenticeship Week – a campaign to celebrate the success stories of people who started their careers in an apprenticeship role and to encourage more people to think about apprenticeships.

The recruits will become the first to join a new ‘Apprenticeship in Care’ initiative which follows Monmouthshire’s successful funding bid from the Welsh Government Foundational Economy Challenge fund.

The apprentices will be part of the Social Care and Health Directorate and will be working within Monmouthshire’s services in order to provide practicable experiences and learn about working in social care. The hands on roles will focus on working with people in the community to support them to live independently, safely and well in their own homes and to promote connection. Across the 12 months, the apprentices will also gain formal qualifications which will be fully transferable within the social care sector.

Monmouthshire has an increasing ageing population and it is estimated that by 2036, 36% of the county’s 93,000 population will be aged over 65. The scheme will help to address the likely demand for more people to work in the care sector in the future, whilst providing a broad overview of the many specialist caring roles that have a huge impact on the lives of so many people in the county.

This programme also aims to develop and build upon recent successes by identifying and creating opportunities to recruit apprentices across all sectors of the authority, providing them with opportunities for growth and progression in a fantastic authority. This is supported by the ‘Apprentice, Graduate and Intern strategy’ that was approved by Cabinet in July 2019.

The three new colleagues will join a cohort 14 apprentices across Monmouthshire, with 45 existing staff completing higher level apprenticeships in various disciplines.

Cabinet Member for Social Care, Safeguarding and Health, Councillor Penny Jones said: “I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our three new social care apprentices. The work they will do over the next 12 months will go a long way to support some of Monmouthshire’s most vulnerable people. I am so pleased that these young people are starting their apprenticeships in such an important sector and wish them every success on what could be a career pathway in Care.

More information on the apprenticeships available with Monmouthshire can be found at www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/jobs-employment/