KEEPING THE HEART IN HERTFORDSHIRE
HERTS CONTRACTORS COLLABORATE to bring apprenticeships to life for students
The last year of school can be a really scary time for many teenagers; exams, work experience, careers advice, and finally they’re asked to make decisions that could influence their future careers.
Debenhams Ottaway raises over £10,000 for local charity Youth Talk
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ertfordshire law firm Debenhams Ottaway celebrated the end of its partnership with local charity Youth Talk by raising over £10,000. This has provided over 200 much-needed counselling sessions to young people locally.
Debenhams Ottaway’s focus is on helping small local charities where they can really make a difference. Their collaborative partnership with Youth Talk started back in 2018 and in the last four years they have contributed more than £10,000 to help the young people of St Albans who need counselling and support. This has been achieved through a fantastic fundraising effort from their people, supported by matched funding and donations from the firm. From bake sales to photo competitions, bingo nights and triathlons, they have got involved in a wide range of fundraising activities, really demonstrating their support for the local community and helping young people struggling with their mental health. Their support extended beyond fundraising, from providing pro-bono legal advice to offering their meeting space. David Barker, Chief Executive at Youth Talk, comments “Youth Talk has been truly blessed by the support of Debenhams Ottaway. You have all been such a delight to work with and we’ve been so lucky with how your team has got behind the need to support our local young people. Our work relies on the goodwill, determination and passion of our local community – the team at Debenhams Ottaway never fail to amaze and inspire us, thank you.”
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INSPIRE
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or those students who are unsure whether to look for a job or to continue in full-time education, an apprenticeship is the perfect mix of both. However, without any real insight into how apprenticeships work, it can be difficult for students to understand the benefits and make the right decision.
It’s for this reason that two Hertfordshire based contractors, MCP Property Services and VolkerWessels UK, co-hosted a speed careers networking event. Coinciding with National Apprenticeship Week 2022, the event was held at VolkerWessels UK’s Hoddesdon offices for Year 11 students from the local Rivers School.
national qualification, whilst earning money at the same time. The event also included careers advice and a Q&A session. Emma Ward, head of sustainability and inclusion for VolkerWessels UK said, “Events like careers speed networking are so important as they showcase the variety of careers that are open to students once they leave school. There was a real buzz in the room, thanks to the students from Rivers ESC and employees from MCP and VolkerWessels UK who willingly got involved with the event.”
With the help of the Rivers Education Support Centre, students were given the opportunity to find out more about the different types of apprenticeship opportunities that are available at both MCP and VolkerWessels UK. MCP Community is a multi award-winning organisation that provides a comprehensive range of quality repair and maintenance services for the social housing sector. Apprenticeship opportunities include business administration and general construction trades such as electrical, plumbing and carpentry. VolkerWessels UK is a leading multidisciplinary contractor that delivers innovative engineering solutions across the civil engineering and construction sectors. They offer a broad range of apprenticeship opportunities across both major sectors. By working together, both organisations were able to show the students how apprenticeships work; how they can learn specific skills through hands-on learning and classroom-based learning, and how this way of learning could enable them to achieve a
Anna West, director of talent and relationships at MCP Community added, “This is the third time that we have taken part in this lively and rewarding event. We absolutely love being involved with schools in the local community, and engaging with and inspiring the next generation about career opportunities within our industry.” Collaborative events like these help to spark energy and interest in students, helping to reduce their fears and allow them to take the first steps toward a rewarding career. Visit mcp.community or volkerwessels.co.uk for more information.
