During National Apprenticeship Week, Dudley Council is sharing success stories of people the local authority has taken on and helped onto the first rung of a career ladder.

National Apprenticeship Week runs until 14th February and the council will be sharing experiences from their apprentices and promoting the current opportunities available across the borough on social media channels. Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for commercial and customer services, said:

"We’re extremely proud of our apprenticeship programme. As a former apprentice myself, I can vouch for the benefits it brings to both the individual and the organisation.

"It’s important for us to nurture local talent and this week will hopefully encourage more people to join an apprenticeship programme and build a brighter future for themselves."

Annie Guy, apprentice administrator for children’s services at Dudley Council, said:

"I have progressed from a Level 2 to a Level 3 in Business Administration thanks to the apprenticeship programme. What I like most is that you can earn whilst you learn.

"You gain a recognised qualification, create relationships with professionals and learn new skills in the workplace. Undertaking the apprenticeship has given me the pivotal skills that I need to get started in my desired career path."

To find out more about existing opportunities, you can visit dudley.gov.uk