Teenagers' clean break thanks to council partnership

Twelve teenagers will be given the chance to take part in a six month apprenticeship scheme thanks to an innovative Cambridge City Council partnership approved at today's Environment Scrutiny Committee.

The Lib Dem-run council is teaming up with cutting edge training company, Nordic Pioneer to give the young people aged between 16 and 18 training in cleaning up the environment.

The scheme will be partly funded with £10,000 raised from Fixed Penalty Notices issued for environmental crime such as dropping littler, graffiti and fly-tipping.

Apprentices will work cleaning up nature reserves, commons and cemeteries and remove fly tipping, graffiti and fly posting among other tasks.

Their apprentices will work with members of the council's Streets and Open Spaces service delivery team and the scheme will lead to an NVQ level 2 in Cleaning and Support Services and six months of work experience.

Cambridge City Executive Councillor for Waste and Environmental Services, Mike Pitt (pictured) said: "This is an exciting opportunity for young people to learn valuable skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification while caring for the environment around them. We are confident that this scheme will help the youngsters to find permanent employment in the future."