With Apprenticeships being highlighted as a good way to kick start young peoples careers in an ever increasingly difficult world to find employment, Joshua Brown is a clear example of how Apprenticeships are helping young people find a positive route to employment and excel in his chosen career.

19 year old Josh Brown from Wolverhampton, began his Apprenticeship in March 2010 at Essington Fruit Farm. His assessments have been carried out by Telford College, and he has been supported throughout by his employer and his colleagues to learn his trade. Josh decided that he wanted a career in Butchery, and has been able to fulfill this ambition by learning essential butchery skills whilst working and earning a wage. Whilst working towards his Apprenticeship, Josh has been able to submit his own Pork Pies to the English Winter Fair in Stafford, where he was gained a Gold Award – which, considering he was still learning his trade at the time, it is a fantastic achievement. Josh’s latest accolade has been that he has recently won the Regional Final for the EDI Sponsored “Apprentice of the Year Award”. The awards ceremony, which took place at Enginuity in Ironbridge saw a number of candidates from across the West Midlands gain their certificates and trophies for a number of different award categories. Their entries have now gone on to a judging panel for the National Finals which are being held in London at the end of June. In addition, Josh has been awarded Telford College’s Apprentice of the Year for all of his hard work and achievements at the recent Telford College Celebration of Work.

Josh has thoroughly enjoyed his Apprenticeship so far. He has enjoyed learning new skills and feels that he has benefited from his more experienced colleagues which has enabled him to gain new and valuable skills to have a fulfilling career in butchery and start him on the path of realizing his ambitions to own his own butchery business when he has more experience.