Young people in south Essex are being offered the chance to start high-quality apprenticeships covering key growth sectors of the local economy. The openings are being provided by blue chip employers, in partnership with Prospects College’s learning foundation. Prospects has training facilities in Southend, Basildon and Canvey. Apprentices can train for careers in areas such as railway engineering, aerospace engineering, bricklaying, carpentry, sheet metal manufacturing and plumbing. Firms working with Prospects include Thales, Gardner Aerospace, Bombardier, Selex ES, Goodwolfe Energy and Delta T Services. The courses are open to young people aged between 16 and 24, including those leaving school in July. Prospects is particularly keen to encourage young women to take up these apprenticeships. The drive to increase the female intake is backed by Essex County Council’s Girls Allowed initiative. Typical of the training involved is the Thales engineering apprenticeship. It involves four years of technical and specialist rail training and will enable the apprentices to work on signalling installation, testing and commissioning. It addresses an urgent need to attract talented young people into the rail industry. Neil Bates, group chief executive of Prospects, said: “Advanced apprenticeships offer young people an alternative pathway through to higher education. The trainees will be paid and will emerge with no university debt. The places represent a wonderful career opportunity.” Young people who are interested in one of Prospects’ 150 apprenticeship places should contact the apprenticeship vacancy hotline on 0800 389 3589. Employers looking for an apprentice can contact Prospects on the same number