Andre Russell, an apprentice at Warwickshire County Council (WCC), was part of a winning team at the Local Government Apprentice of the Year which took place virtually on 25 May 2022.
The national event, now in its second year, was designed and delivered by South West Councils and the East of England Local Government Association with support from the LGA.
More than 100 Level 2 and 3 local government apprentices from across the country took part in the one-day event, with workshops which encouraged them to learn, network and showcase their skills, expertise, and initiative.
Building on the success of the 2021 pilot of this national event, all those taking part were either current apprentices or qualified within the last 12 months. Each activity was designed to help develop successful workplace behaviours, linked to a range of apprenticeship standards, with each participant receiving an individual report with their scores for each activity. Andre and his team members won the Team Award for their innovative idea for councils to save money by going paperless.
Andre joined WCC in June 2021 as an Apprentice Community Development Worker which involves attending different community groups, youth groups and community events. Andre said:
“In my role, my main objective is to help communities to help themselves. I work with different groups of people, helping them to flourish and be the best communities they can be, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy my job.
“I joined the Council as an apprentice because I wanted to work with people, to help people in the community, I wanted to make an impact.
“I would say to anyone thinking of joining WCC as an apprentice, just go for it! You will learn so much and I’ve been able to really develop my self-confidence.”
Monica Fogarty, Chief Executive at Warwickshire County Council said:
“We are so proud of Andre for being recognised nationally amongst his peers at the Apprentice of the Year. It’s an amazing achievement which will hopefully propel Andre into an exciting career within local government.
“Andre is just one example of our many fantastic apprentices working at WCC. Our variety of apprenticeships provide people from all backgrounds with the opportunity to push themselves, learn new skills and develop a career at the Council.”
Cllr Andy Jenns, Portfolio Holder for Customer & Transformation added:
“Andre is a fantastic ambassador for apprentices in local government and he should be really proud of being recognised at this national event.
“Our apprenticeship opportunities at WCC have expanded significantly in the last few years. The breadth of apprenticeships at WCC mean people can shape their own career, whether that's becoming the best at what they do, progressing with strengths and ambition, or exploring interests in other areas within the Council, people can grow into who they want to be.”
More than 130 apprentices have been retained in further employment within WCC since the apprenticeship scheme began in 2012, and many of them have continued to develop their professional skills and capabilities through further apprenticeships at a higher level.
Whether you want to kickstart your career for the first time or you’re looking for a career change later in life, apprenticeships provide the opportunity to develop and learn new skills in an area that interests you. We offer a range of apprenticeships that are the first step to a career in various professions including engineering, social care, ICT, project management, digital marketing, customer service, vehicle maintenance and many more.
For more information about apprenticeship opportunities at WCC, go to www.warwickshire.gov.uk/apprenticeships.