A North Yorkshire housing association has taken on three new apprentices after being “inundated” with applications.

Broadacres has been running an apprenticeship programme since 2015 and aims to provide employment for people living in communities that it homes.

For last two years the selection process has taken place online due to Covid, however, now applicants could choose to take part virtually or in person.

This year candidates carried out a value-based quiz, escape room activities and speed interviews before a final short-list led to people being invited for a formal interview.

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The three successful apprentices - Annie Cooper (Digital Marketing Apprentice), Anabel Summers (Electrical Apprentice) and Harvey Inglis (Heating Engineer Apprentice) – started work in October.

They are now gaining hands-on experience and attending college one day a week as part of the formal qualification they will acquire at the end of their apprenticeship.

Harvey, aged 16 from Darlington, said: “I was delighted when I found I had been successful after the selection process, and it already feels really good going to work every day.

“I am already learning lots, including how to install air source heat pumps, which I know will stand me in good stead in the future.”

Annie, aged 18 from Northallerton, added: “I did A-Levels at college, but I always wanted to do an apprenticeship when I left so I was over the moon when I discovered I had been accepted by Broadacres.

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“Since starting in September I have already been involved in lots of things, including helping design the weekly colleague newsletter, organising a community action day and designing a new logo/brand for one of customer-led groups.”

Anabel, 23 from Boroughbridge, said: “I was working in customer service, but I never felt fulfilled working in an office environment and was looking to do something more hands-on which got me out into the community, so training to be an electrician really appealed to me.

“I had just come off a conference call at my old place of work and was crying because of how unhappy I was and then Broadacres contacted me to say I had been successful so I just couldn’t say no, and I am loving working here.”