Niamh Berrie, Max Harper, Amy Dickson, Kieva Muirhead and Rachel Allison have become North Ayrshire’s latest modern apprentices to complete their 18-month Youth Work Modern Apprenticeship accreditation.

Now in its 14th year, the programme is part of Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire – the council’s wider employability programme for residents across our six localities.

Delivered in partnership with the Youth Services team, the five young people have gained an SCQF7 Youth Work qualification.

Since coming on board in August 2023, the team have been a vital part of the council’s Community Learning and Development team, delivering over 2,000 youth groups and activities across North Ayrshire’s six localities.

Learning the ropes along the way, they have also been able to gain accreditation on first aid, mental health resilience, anti-sectarianism, suicide awareness and mental health awareness training.

Niamh, from Irvine, added: "Alongside the lifelong friends I have made, I will now be moving on to the University of Glasgow. Two of the other MAs in my team - Niamh and Kieva - will be joining me at university to study Community Learning and Development.

"We’re really excited and so thankful for the opportunities Youth Services has given us. We will all be keeping in touch with everyone and hope to come back to do some of our uni placements here and continue to support the communities of North Ayrshire."

Known as MAs, recruits doing a Modern Apprenticeship are paid at the National Minimum Wage. Part of the council’s wider MA programme, the in-house training allows successful candidates to earn while they learn across a host of council services, developing industry recognised qualifications to progress their careers.

Modern Apprentice Max Harper has gained confidence since embarking on the programme. Max said: "Since starting in 2023, I have gained a tremendous amount of confidence and social skills. I am much better at talking to new people and engaging in conversations. Also, I have improved my time management, reading, writing, and decision-making skills. I am so happy I decided to apply. It has truly been the best decision I’ve made."

From Joint Cabinet, detached youth work events, creating videos, supporting national social media campaigns, to the delivery of mental health and youth empowerment sessions across a variety of settings, the MAs have been an invaluable driving force to champion youth work, participation and youth voice in North Ayrshire.

Councillor Chloé Robertson, North Ayrshire’s Young People’s Champion, said: “Congratulations to the Youth Work Modern Apprentices who have made their mark across our six localities over the last 18 months.

“Our Modern Apprentice programme is an integral part of our youth work delivery. Completing their qualifications with in-house assessors, with hands on learning and delivery, the MAs have been able to provide peer support, create youth programmes and support the wider Youth Services team.

“The work they have done has also been a direct contribution towards the council’s work surrounding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child – international legislation that sets out how to champion, respect and uphold children and young people’s rights.

“Apprenticeships are a brilliant way for young people to work while training, gaining qualifications that reflect the knowledge and skills they have developed in practical and fast-paced settings.

“Well done to everyone involved, thank you for your commitment and dedication. You should all be really proud of yourselves.”

If you are a young person in North Ayrshire keen to make the next move in your employment, or you are a parent or carer supporting a young person, come along to our upcoming Your Next Move employability events:

• Recruitment Event at Ayrshire College - free tickets book now! Drop-in between 5.30pm and 7.30pm on Wednesday 5 March. Event is being hosted by our Employability team in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce North Ayrshire. Young people and their parents and carers are encouraged along.
• Modern Apprentice Open Day - free tickets book now! The Modern Apprenticeship team will also be hosting an employment event on Tuesday 11 March at the Volunteer Rooms in Irvine. Drop-in 9.30am to 11.30am.

The next intake for Youth Work Modern Apprentices will be announced in May 2025. Stay tuned to the council’s Youth Services social media channels Facebook: @NAYouthServices and X: @NAYouthServices for updates.

Published: 04 March 2025