Apprentices come together to help Birmingham college

 

More than 30 apprentices from Kraft Foods have travelled to the food company’s Birmingham site in Bournville to help redecorate a local college, as part of National Apprenticeship Week.  

The apprentices picked up paint brushes and changed into overalls to decorate the dining hall at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College.

Richard Tattersfield, Headteacher at the Bournville-based college, said: “The apprentices spent the entire day undertaking a huge challenge to transform our main dining hall, bringing it up-to-date by repainting the walls and providing general maintenance to its surroundings. 

“Their professionalism and enthusiasm has been great to see and the support we continue to receive from everyone at Kraft Foods has a real benefit to our students.”

Mark Edwards, an electrical engineer at the Kraft Foods site in Bournville, said: “Other volunteers from the Bournville site have supported Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College last year, so it was great to get our young apprentices from across the country involved as well.  

“We’ve been able to tackle a huge project whilst the students were out of school for the half term holiday and it’s been extremely satisfying to make a real difference to the environment in which the students have their school meals.”

In 2012, Kraft Foods will be looking to recruit over 20 additional apprentices to join its UK manufacturing sites in locations that include Bournville, Banbury in Oxfordshire, and Sheffield. This dedication to its apprenticeship programme has seen the company recently appear in the first ever Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list, supported by The National Apprenticeship Service and City & Guilds. 

Nick Bunker, President of Kraft Foods UK & Ireland, said: “Kraft Foods has a long and proud tradition of employing apprentices. Our roles in Bournville, Banbury and Sheffield are especially attractive to those who are looking for a direct route from school to the workplace that still allows for training and education to continue. We are looking for applicants who are focused and enthusiastic, and keen to develop their practical skills and qualifications.

"Once people have joined the scheme there are no limits as to where they could find themselves in the organisation.”

For more information about Kraft Foods’ community programme, please visit www.kraftfoodseurope.com.