Are you the next Yasmin? The hunt for Plymouth’s star #apprentice begins!

The search for Plymouth’s next star apprentice has begun – where one lucky winner will be handpicked for a career at one of the region’s most progressive companies. City College Plymouth and Portcullis Legals have teamed up to launch the city’s version of The Apprentice in time for National Apprenticeship Week, which starts on Monday.

Four candidates will be chosen to take part in six weeks of tasks, working with some of the most renowned organisations in the region. They will then go before a panel of judges, where one will be chosen for an Apprenticeship at Portcullis Legals, supported by City College Plymouth.

The sought-after job will include working a four-day week at Portcullis, which made international headlines when it switched to the new working pattern in 2019. The role comes with a host of other benefits, including a company laptop, £500 of travel costs and the promise of a long-term career in a close-knit team.

The three remaining candidates will stand an excellent chance of being picked for a choice Apprenticeship at another organisation.

The two previous apprentices at Portcullis – which has been providing estate planning services for more than 30 years – are now an integral part of the team. Morgan Ingram started six years ago and Yasmin Serter began in 2017. The challenge for Managing Director Trevor Worth is to ‘find the next Yasmin’.

Trevor said: “We had huge success with our previous apprentices from the College and with a host of new initiatives launching this year, we’re in need of more support.

“The new position of Business Administration Apprentice will be created at one of the region’s most innovative firms – so we’ve planned this innovative selection process to match. We think the candidates will learn a remarkable amount over the six weeks and it will prove to be a hugely enriching experience for them. Good luck to all the candidates!”

Those interested are being asked to register their interest via either the City College Plymouth or Portcullis website. They’ll need to prepare a maximum of 300 words describing why they think they should be chosen for the project and submit their entry to one of the websites. The deadline for entries is Friday 28 February. 

Pauline Hands, Director of Marketing, Business Engagement and Apprenticeships at City College Plymouth, said: “Our partnership with Trevor and Portcullis Legals has presented some truly exceptional opportunities for Apprenticeships in the past and we’re extremely excited to be launching this scheme.

“The candidates involved are set to get a remarkable education in how different workplaces operate, while picking up vital skills with the College for their future careers. 

“National Apprenticeship Week showcases the extraordinary work that goes on between employers and the College to provide an excellent pathway into long-lasting careers with local businesses and organisations. Our Apprenticeship programme is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, so the candidates will be experiencing a valuable way to earn, learn and gain qualifications.

“This new initiative fits that ethos perfectly with our Apprenticeship offer and is a brilliant way to launch National Apprenticeship Week.”