Halton Housing Trust welcomes the latest intake of apprentices to the organisation during National Apprentice Week (23-27 February) and celebrates the important role they will play.

The five apprentices, who were appointed through “Halton People into Jobs”, will help the social landlord provide services for customers and operate as a business with a social conscience.

The two electricians, two plasterers and one administration apprentice will benefit from working alongside experienced staff to gain on the job training and study with a local training provider. Each apprentice has been assigned a mentor.

Noel Sharpe, the Trust’s Director of Customer Services, said: “Given the current economic climate we are delighted to be able to provide local people with the opportunity to join us as apprentices.

“Halton Housing Trust is more than just a landlord, we are also a significant employer in the borough.

“The Trust is committed to making a lasting impact in the communities in which we work and this includes providing employment and training opportunities.

“Apprentices have a vital role to play in the future growth and development of the Trust. We need to ensure that we provide them with the necessary skills and training to help us to deliver new and improved services to our customers.”

To celebrate National Apprentice Week, the Trust’s current apprentices, who are in their final year of training, and the new recruits all received a certificate and a £20 voucher.

Lisa McKenna has joined the Trust as an apprentice electrician. The mum-of-three, who went to college last year to study for a BTEC Diploma in Building Services, said: “I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to do something I have wanted to do for a long time.

“After spending 10 years working in administration I decided I needed a change of environment. I’m very practical and a dab hand at DIY, so I thought I’d combine the two.

“It’s nice to think that I can be a role model to others who may be thinking of changing careers or returning to work after having a family. I never believed I could achieve this. It just goes to show that if you set your mind to do something, you can do it.”

The four trades’ apprentices will work in Construction Services - the Trust’s repair and improvement service. They will assist in the delivery of the improvement programme and carry out day-to-day repairs in customers’ homes. The administration apprentice will work with the HR team for three months before moving to other areas of the business.