Beyond Housing is recruiting seven new apprentices in the wake of COVID-19, providing an opportunity for people to develop skills and build a career at a time where many are feeling the financial effects of the pandemic.
As many businesses in England continue to feel the pinch from months of closure, furloughing and reduced income, job instability and uncertainty is on the rise.
Beyond Housing is offering apprenticeships in electrical, painting, joinery, finance and business admin, based in one of its bases of Redcar or Scarborough. The housing association has an excellent track record with apprentices, with 100% of its 12 recruits in 2018 still with the company – 64% of which are working through the next level of their apprenticeship and 36% having graduated and secured permanent jobs with Beyond Housing.
Apprentices in the first year of their apprenticeship at Beyond Housing earn £5 per hour, much higher than the £3.90 minimum wage for apprentices. After completing the first year of their course, Beyond Housing’s apprentices receive a significant raise in hourly pay, to £9 per hour. This is the Living Wage Foundation recommended hourly rate of income based on living costs. Full time workers receiving this independently calculated Living Wage earn around £2,000 per year more than those on the government’s ‘National Living Wage’.
Emma Tooth, Apprentice & Volunteer Team Leader at Beyond Housing said: “The COVID-19 pandemic means jobs and learning opportunities are more valuable than ever this year. We really feel for students who had their final years of school cut short and feel like they’ve lost their direction, and those who have lost jobs or placements due to companies not being able to afford them anymore.
“We’re glad to be able to commit to our apprenticeship programme for 2020 as normal, to hopefully provide some relief for jobseekers in the Redcar and Scarborough areas, and support the local economy in its recovery.”