COMMERCIAL cleaning company DeepClean has decided to increase its apprenticeship programme and wants to "nurture new talent in an 'on the job' way."

Set up in 1997 and based at Stoke Prior, near Bromsgrove, the firm specialises in superior cleaning of commercial kitchens and air extraction systems. It has grown rapidly and has plans for more apprentices as a long term strategy to help future expansion.

Sales manager Gary Hawkesford said: "We have decided to recruit using the apprenticeship framework, rather than employ someone that has experience in a similar role, as we want to give job seekers the chance to start a new career and give them that first ‘foot on the ladder’ and a real opportunity to gain valuable experience. We have also had previous success in recruiting an apprentice.

" At the start of the year we took on Matt Thorneycroft, who is a perfect example of how being an apprentice can lead to a successful career and he is now a fully fledged sales surveyor. We are currently recruiting for a new sales apprentice to join our team. We’re looking for someone wanting to gain experience in a hands on way, rather than just learning from a text book. They must be keen to learn and have a real can-do attitude.”

Apprenticeships are quickly being recognised as a real alternative to university, as they enable job seekers a way to gain work experience and learn at the same time. Gaining qualifications is often just part of the puzzle, when leaving full-time education, many employers like to see work experience on CV’s which is just as important.