Hiring a trainee thorough the Ealing’s Borough Apprenticeship Scheme (EBAS) isn’t just about filling a vacancy – it is an investment in the future.

Edward Betham Primary School, in Greenford, chose to recruit an early years apprentice who is now a full-time employee at the school and on the way to becoming a fully qualified teacher.

The school’s business manager, Tracey, said: “The teaching apprenticeship has strengthened our school by allowing us to grow and develop talented staff from within. The additional funding has made this opportunity possible, and we are genuinely grateful for the positive impact it has had on our children, staff team, and the whole school community.”

Reflecting on the long-term impact, Tracey added: “Our former apprentice is now an early years careers teacher – confident, skilled, and settled. The children benefit because she knows them well and understands our school inside out. She is now continuing her training to achieve a qualified teacher status.” 

Don’t miss out

Hiring an apprentice in the borough has never been easier, thanks to EBAS. This Ealing Council scheme is designed to meet the recruitment needs of local employers by helping them to hire talented local people, who can then build rewarding careers.

If you are an employer, you can find out more and join EBAS by visiting the Good for Ealing website. Bronze membership is free. The scheme particularly supports smaller businesses to recruit apprentices and cover training costs by gifting apprenticeship levy funding.

If you are a resident, you can explore job vacancies and apprenticeships on the Work Ealing website.

EBAS builds on the council’s own successful apprenticeship scheme, which has seen 370 apprentices recruited by Ealing Council since 2007. It also reflects the council’s commitment to help create more apprenticeships. Since May 2022, more than 2,500 new opportunities have been offered in the borough.

‘Apprenticeships pave the way’

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Apprenticeships unlock opportunities for employers to upskill staff while helping residents to learn and earn.

“Our borough apprenticeship scheme is making it easier for people and businesses to connect – building careers, strengthening local enterprises, and driving economic growth. Employers can also use apprenticeships to nurture talent within their teams; creating a more loyal, qualified workforce.”

Helping local people find work

EBAS is just one of several jobs and skills initiatives run by the council. It has focused its efforts on helping to create new good, well-paid jobs and opportunities for residents.

Having set itself ambitious targets since 2022, the council and its partners are on track to have achieved or exceeded them by the end of April next year, with: 

• local employers offering almost 11,000 new job opportunities across the borough
• help for more than 7,000 people who have faced the toughest barriers to employment to find a job. This includes people with special needs and the long term unemployed
• almost 1,000 people receiving a pay rise as a direct result of their employer becoming London Living Wage accredited
• 7 new learning zones, which are taking adult learning into the heart of the borough’s 7 towns 
• residents successfully completing 12,000 qualifications and training programmes supporting them into further training and employment

This is just one of several jobs and skills initiatives run by the council during its current term, which runs from 2022-26. It has focused its efforts on helping to create new good, well-paid jobs and opportunities for residents.