Tim . . . You’re hired!

The Hopwood Hall apprentices

AN Oldham teenager has benefited from a college’s apprenticeship scheme that is giving young people a route into work.

Tim Whittaker (19), a leisure and fitness apprentice, is one of 10 young people told by Hopwood Hall College “You’re all hired!”

The Rochdale college is showing it practices what it preaches by recruiting the apprentices to join its workforce — making up 2 per cent of its staff — with more expected to be employed.

Vice-principal John Spindler said: “We are thrilled with the new recruits. They have already had a huge effect and managers are already asking to recruit more.

“The apprentices are all looking for a first step on their career ladders and we are really pleased they have chosen the college.”

The college’s business training arm, Orchard Training Solutions, has been helping local businesses with the recruitment and training of apprentices for many years.

Now rebranded as Training@Hopwood, it is using the 10 apprentices as the “faces” of its advertising campaign.

The Government is keen for colleges to increase the number of apprentices they train so Hopwood has been massively increasing the number it recruits and trains for businesses across the Greater Manchester area.

College principal Derek O’Toole urged other business leaders to follow suit.

He said: “Times are hard, but apprentices can help to get you through the hard times and prepare your business for the future.”