Reimagine your future with a WDH apprenticeship

Yorkshire-based housing provider, WDH has launched new apprenticeship opportunities to find and nurture the best talent in the Wakefield district and encourage more people to consider a trainee role in housing.

The new vacancies come as unemployment figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show young people under 25 account for 60% of job losses over the last year. The ONS figures also show the UK’s hospitality sector as one of the worst-hit since the pandemic, pointing to a rise in people looking to consider a career change into a new industry.

According to a report published by City & Guilds Group, a third of Britons (34%) want to change careers, but only 16% understand exactly how their skills would be useful in another career.

WDH’s apprentice recruitment campaign encourages people to reimagine their future, aiming to target those who may not traditionally consider an apprenticeship, or a career in construction and may be looking for a career change.

Its award-winning apprenticeship programme has been running for 14 years with over 150 apprentices recruited during that time. Of these 95% have secured full-time, permanent employment with the organisation.  The scheme is currently advertising for craft-based apprenticeships such as joinery and electrical, with the possibility of more office-based positions becoming available later in the year.

Andy Wallhead, Chief Executive of WDH, said:

“We’re committed to building a workplace that ensures our employees can thrive and our apprenticeship scheme  gives people the confidence to enter into the world of work, perhaps for the first time. For others, it’s a real opportunity to take their career in a different direction in a growing sector, that makes a real difference to people’s lives.

“Despite promising signs of the UK economy and job sector stabilising, there’s still a great level of uncertainty, especially for younger people. The pandemic has shown how vulnerable some employment sectors have been, but demand for affordable housing remains strong. An apprenticeship at WDH is an opportunity to build strong foundations for a future career.”

WDH is keen to encourage applications from underrepresented groups including women and people who could be in the market for a career change, perhaps after working in badly hit sectors due to the pandemic.

Tracy Tallant, Director of Organisational Development at WDH, added:

“Our apprenticeships are open to anyone and we’re especially keen to encourage more females into the housing sector. Traditionally, an underrepresented group in construction roles, a diverse and talented team helps us provide the best service, that’s right for our customers.

Tracy continued: “For some younger people, a vocational route into work may be more attractive in the current climate. An apprenticeship offers people the chance to earn a living while they gain qualifications with no training fees. This gives them a head start into the world of employment and helps us to train the best talent with much needed skills”