Khadiza heard about apprenticeships at school and, unable to go to university for financial reasons, started at Camden aged 17. Two years later she has achieved level 4 in project management, working within the Economic Development Department.

Tahir became an apprentice more recently, after dropping out of university. He has achieved level 3 in business administration working within the council’s community safety and emergency team. He’d not previously realised the wide scope of council activity or the careers on offer in the public sector.

Both apprentices are enthusiastic about the work (although it is harder than being a student says Tahir…) and the fact they can earn while gaining qualifications. But above all they relish the opportunity to work for, and give back to, the community in which they grew up. Both now have firm ambitions to continue their careers in public service and improve the places where they live.

The strong message emerging from the session was that councils should visit their local schools and work with social media to ensure that young people are exposed to information about opportunities on offer via apprenticeships.