THIS is a time of year traditionally associated with young people finishing school or college and entering the world of work.

Though many will had made their choices, for some it is well worth considering the vast array of opportunities offered by apprenticeships.

Here we look at just a few of the paths to finding the right apprenticeship, and the experiences of some young people who have gone down this route.

Sara Farrar, of York, Selby and Ryedale Jobcentres, said: “There’s a great range of apprenticeships on offer and some great toolkits to help youngsters get a start in the world of work.

“There’s loads of really useful information to be found in getingofar.gov.uk/ and lots of apprenticeships to apply for on findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch

“And a work experience placement or a sector-based work academy are also great ways of progressing in to paid work. We are currently offering a construction academy in conjunction with York College, where participants get pre-employment construction training, a paid CSCS green card, a work experience placement with a local employer and an interview.”

Also working with York College is innovative Tockwith company Stage One, which has welcomed six new apprentices.

Julie Scholefield, Stage One HR manager, said: “Due to individual projects and the nature of our business, staff tend to progress through the company, meaning that promotion from within has almost always provided the best solution to the company’s recruitment needs.

“In recent years, Stage One has grown significantly and there is a real need to formalise our recruitment process by working with a local training provider.”

Stage One has worked closely with the business development unit at the college to find the appropriate candidates, as well as the right training and assessment.

The new apprentices will study a formal apprenticeship qualification. Harry Smith, Jack Davy and Will Fuller-McMillan will study an apprenticeship in bench joinery, Lewis Hyland and Jake Braithwaite will study engineering and Sarah Parkes will study a business administration apprenticeship programme. In addition, York College is currently recruiting for a painting and decorating apprentice.

City of York Council has already held two major apprenticeship events this year, in March and August, but there are other events coming up which support recruitment and apprenticeships.

On Sunday the York Interactive Hotel and Hospitality Recruitment and Careers Fair takes place from 1pm to 6pm at the Royal York Hotel, to highlight the variety of full and part-time roles and apprenticeship opportunities available in the sector.

About 13 per cent of jobs in York fall within the hospitality, leisure and tourism sector, and there is due to be a 17 per cent increase in these jobs between now and 2030.

The York Jobs Fair, an event for all ages event organised by the city council, when apprenticeship will be promoted, takes place at York Railway Institute between 10am and 3pm on Friday, September 30.

And on Saturday, October 8, 16 to 25-year-olds who are looking to learn to code and get a job in the digital sector can take part in hands-on workshops at the UpLoad Coding Event, supported by Virgin Media and held at Cafe West in the council’s West Offices between 9.30am and 5pm (bit.ly/uploadyork).

Meanwhile, three young people who attended City of York Council’s apprentice recruitment event in March have shared their experiences of work in the construction, hospitality and construction sectors.

* Alex Thompson was looking for a local construction company to help him complete the NVQ Level 2 part of his full-time college course in plastering and start his onsite career.

He was particularly keen to meet William Birch, having researched the company online. He came with a copy of his CV and headed straight to the Wm Birch stand to talk with the training manager and construction manager.

Impressed by his positive attitude, determination and professionalism at the event, Alex was offered an interview at Wm Birch for the following week, resulting in an initial work trial of 12 weeks. During this period he impressed the site and contracts manager so much that he was then offered a full-time advanced apprenticeship in plastering position with Wm Birch, which includes day release training at York College.

Simon Potter, construction manager, said: “What impressed us about Alex was that he is a very pleasant and grounded young man, who was determined to secure a full-time position with William Birch and start his career in plastering.

“Since being hired Alex has been paired with one of our most skilled plasterers to act as a mentor helping him gain experience and confidence to help him go far in his career.

“The apprenticeship recruitment event was a first for Wm Birch, as we normally recruit via the local college. We attended with the clear goal of looking for a plastering apprentice but not really knowing if anyone would attend the event with the right skill set to fit what we were looking for.

“Alex was one of a number of candidates that visited our stand, all of whom were very pleasant and keen to find work. As and when we are looking to recruit in the future we will definitely be attending another event.”

Mr Thompson said: “I was very grateful there was an event like this as it gave me an opportunity to present myself. I was really chuffed to be employed by Wim Birch, a renowned company in the local area, and I’ve really enjoyed my time with the company so far.”

* Kate Johns has been a Marriott culinary apprentice since April 2016 after being undecided on which career path to choose. She already had an NVQ1 in hospitality and had worked in a pub, but was looking for an opportunity for a more practical learning experience to work alongside a formal college education and felt that an apprenticeship would give her exactly that.

At the March event Kate spoke to Costin Ene, executive chef, and Darren Eastwood, commis chef. The latter had been an apprentice himself at the York Marriott Hotel and Ms Johns found it particularly useful to speak to him as he was able to give her a great insight into what being an apprentice chef was all about.

She applied online using the GOV.UK website, was successfully interviewed and joined two weeks later.

A Marriott spokesperson said: “She is now working with the breakfast chef and also does lunch preparation and service. She impresses us with her everyday attitude and is happy, bubbly, and always looking to learn. She is also a great team player.

“Both Costin and Kate feel that attending the event was a huge success. Costin found it invaluable to speak to lots of different potential apprentices to share information first hand on what it’s like to be a culinary apprentice.

“Kate had the opportunity to speak to all different types of employer, which helped her make up her mind about what she wanted to do. She also found it important talking directly to employers, as it meant that she was able to make a decision on who would be the best potential employer for her.

“And how well is she doing? Kate won our Associate of the Month award in June.”

* Will was hoping to meet local development agencies offering apprenticeship roles and start his career in the industry, and was delighted find Daniel Woolfson, development manager of PureNet, a large employer of technical roles in the area which works with globally recognised brands such as Krispy Kreme and the Royal British Legion, at the event.

Mr Woolfson was thrilled with the passion and dedication Will displayed and, after a review of his CV and previous achievements he was invited for a work trial, when the PureNet test and development teams were impressed with the level of efficiency and professionalism he showed. As a result Will was offered a full-time apprenticeship as a software tester. As part of PureNet’s supportive apprenticeship scheme, the team work extremely close with him as part of his ongoing training and level 4 qualification.

Mr Woolfson said: “PureNet has always been supportive of offering apprenticeships to young people in the York and wider Yorkshire areas. We understand how important it is to provide opportunities for real-world training within the technology industry and the York apprenticeship recruitment events are an invaluable resource for connecting companies with potential apprentices.

“Will was one of many potential candidates that I spoke with during the event. It was Will’s clear passion for development, and interest in PureNet as a company that impressed me on the day.

“Since hiring Will, he has continued to show his dedication and great work ethic. We have a large team of software testers and developers with vast amounts of experience. Will has fitted straight in to the team and, with help from his mentor, is picking up new skills very quickly.

“I would highly recommend the apprenticeship recruitment event to any local companies who are looking to help further a young person’s career by offering apprenticeship roles.”

Will said: “My goal was to work within a company that had a great deal of experience and large team for me to learn from. I’m so thankful to the apprenticeship recruitment event for introducing me to PureNet as it was exactly the right fit for me.

“Already in my role I have worked with some amazing brands like Pets at Home and Tui. I’m challenged each day, but work within a great team of software testers and developers who are always on hand to help and teach me. I have thoroughly enjoyed working at PureNet so far and hope to do so for a long time.”