Scarborough and Whitby housing provider Beyond Housing welcomes eight new apprentices to team

Since the launch of Beyond Housing in 2018, the organisation has taken on 58 apprentices in a bid to provide people with a career path of their choosing.

As apprentices, the talented individuals will spend their time learning about their profession at college while also completing practical hours each week in areas such as electrical, joinery, painting, HR, and business administration.

Last year, Beyond Housing introduced VIP apprenticeship information sessions to encourage customers of the housing provider to take advantage of the apprenticeship opportunities on offer and become valued colleagues in the Beyond Housing team.

With support from the employability team, and fitting the criteria, Olivia Lillystone and Rosanna Knowles completed the VIP apprenticeship sessions and are now joining Beyond Housing as business administration apprentices.

Julie Owen, 37, is another Beyond Housing customer who has secured a role as an apprentice bricklayer.

Other new recruits include Miles Roberts, who is undertaking an apprenticeship in surveying, which, once completed, will see him become an associate member of the highly regarded Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Jack Spark and Zac Whitfield also join the group of new recruits as apprentice electricians, alongside Josh Froom, who joins an apprentice painter, and Joe Collins-May, who is undertaking an apprenticeship in HR support.

The new starters have begun their work-based training with Beyond Housing’s apprentice and volunteer team leader, Maria Taylor, who recently held an introductory brunch in Whitby, to talk them through what to expect in the coming months.

Maria said: “Our VIP apprenticeship sessions are designed to give our customers the information and support they need to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances, and it’s been amazing to find some really talented individuals through these sessions and welcome them to the team.”

Apprentice Bricklayer Julie Owens added: “A bricklaying apprenticeship opportunity really caught my eye, something I would really love to do, but as a 37-year-old woman might I be considered too old or unsuitable to apply for the role?

“But with advice and help from the Employment Support team and other apprentices, I learned as much as I could about the company and its values before tackling the interview and assessment.

“Happily, I was successful.”