Hillingdon Council welcomes four new trade apprentices from Uxbridge College

Hillingdon Council have welcomed four new apprentices to their Repairs team. These students are the first of many who will be taking up the council’s offer of employment and learning over the coming years.

Bradley Ranger, Elmi Lluigiqi, Jason Clark and Alfie Wilson all come from Hillingdon. They will spend four working days at the council and one day a week at college, learning a mixture of theory and practical skills.

Working in partnership with Uxbridge College the council will help these four young men to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their chosen trade apprenticeship qualifications and set them on their way to a bright future career.

Bradley, 16, is the youngest of the group, he comes from West Drayton. Bradley went to Stockley Academy and is embarking on a Level Three electrical installations apprenticeship.

Bradley says he was inspired by an electrician who came to fix something in his home as a child and found out about Hillingdon Council’s apprenticeship programme by a council worker who came to fix a window some years later.

In his first week Bradley said that he learned how to turn the power off and has assisted with fixing a storage heater, light fittings and power sockets. He hopes to complete his course and continue to work with the council.

Barry Cooper, Apprentice Manager at Uxbridge College, said: “Uxbridge College is delighted to join Hillingdon Council in supporting its commitment to create opportunities for young people, through its work with schools and colleges. Our recent involvement in recruiting and training four of the Council’s apprentices is a great example of the successful partnership work which both our organisations value so highly.”

Councillor Bianco, Cabinet Member for Finance Property & Business Services, said: “It’s important for the council to nurture young, local talent but there is also the need to keep traditional skills alive. By taking on these apprentices, we are ensuring young people are coming through to continue providing important services.

“Hillingdon’s Repair teams have assigned the apprentices to mentors, experienced Hillingdon employees, who will teach and support them throughout their journey, as they visit council-owned properties to learn their new trades. I would like to welcome them to the council and wish them the best of luck.”

(L-R) Back: Jose Luis, David Watts, Perry Scott, Gary Penticost, Barry Cooper, Alan Galloway, Robert Ojo, Andrew Antonsen (Hillingdon Council, and Barry Cooper Uxbridge College). Front: Apprentices Bradley Ranger, Elmi Liugiqi, Alfie Wilson, Jason Clark.