Published on: Thursday 09 Aug 2018 at 09:03
Welcome to our first Apprentice, Jake!
St Clare Hospice has taken on its first Apprentice as part of a new initiative to employ and support more local young people. Jake Ponton (17 years from Harlow) has joined the hospice charity’s team as an apprentice Maintenance Technician, whilst continuing his studies in Property Maintenance at Harlow College.
In his role as Maintenance Technician, Jake undertakes maintenance of hospice equipment, premises and grounds, including general building maintenance and repairs, redecoration and small building projects.
Jake Ponton, who started the role in July 2018, said:
“I am excited to have taken on the role as St Clare’s first apprentice and have been enjoying settling in to the Maintenance team. An apprenticeship was really appealing to me as it means I get on-the-job, practical experience, as well as salary, whilst continuing to study at college. In September I will be doing one day a week at Harlow College where I will continue to study for a diploma in property maintenance and then during my work at St Clare I will get to apply the skills and knowledge I have gained at college.”
Local Harlow MP, and St Clare Hospice Patron, Robert Halfon MP commented on the Hospice’s first apprentice appointment:
“As the MP for Harlow, Chair of the Commons Education Committee and former Minister of Apprenticeships and Skills, I am delighted that St Clare has created this role and taken on their first apprentice from Harlow college. Apprenticeships provide young people with an educational ladder of opportunity to help them achieve jobs, security and prosperity for their futures. It is fantastic that Jake has been given this chance to develop skills in the workplace and to complement his college studies with on-the-job experience – and in such a worthwhile environment as St Clare, our treasured local hospice charity. I wish Jake all the best in his new role and hope that St Clare develop other apprentice opportunities for more young people in our communities.”
Commenting on what his role involves, Jake said:
“So far I have been doing a lot of practical maintenance around the Hospice and grounds like painting and redecorating a meeting room. I decided to apply for the apprenticeship because I had already completed one year at college studying plumbing, but wanted to gain more experience on the job. I think it is better to learn in the work environment, than trying to learn a trade entirely in a college setting. I want to gain more skills so that I can cover all areas of building, which is why I applied for the property maintenance apprenticeship. I saw the role advertised on the Government website and decided to apply for the St Clare position because I wanted to work for a place that makes a difference to people.”
“St Clare is a well-known charity and having lived in Harlow for many years I have heard of lots of families who have needed the care of the Hospice. The Hospice isn’t like what I expected at all – people had said to me they thought it would be a sad place. But as soon as I came on my interview, and had a tour of the Hospice, I knew it was a bright and happy place. In my role I get to meet people from across the Hospice, in the nursing teams as well as in the support teams, and already I have been so impressed by the enthusiasm staff have for their role, and their caring natures.”
For more information about current vacancies at St Clare, please visit: www.stclarehospice.org.uk/us/work-us/jobs/