You’re Hired!

A new scheme which will see more apprenticeships created in Liverpool is set to be launched.

The Liverpool Apprentice programme will provide a flexible approach in which apprentices will be able to gain work experience with a number of organisations during their employment on the programme.

This scheme has been developed by the City Council in conjunction with Liverpool First and will be used for the recruitment and development of apprentices, undergraduates and graduate trainees by the council and its partners including schools, further and higher education colleges as well as the public, private and voluntary sector.

The Liverpool Apprentice initiative aims to:-

· Help young people be better prepared and equipped for work

· Develop new job opportunities

· Make available jobs to local young people, especially those from deprived communities

· Give attention to those with particular employment needs such as young people I care or with learning or physical disabilities

“We want to change the way people think about apprentices. Traditionally apprenticeships have been associated with manual trades and young people have been apprenticed to one employer. We feel this narrows their prospect of gaining future employment. Under the Liverpool Apprentice programme we want to stress flexibility – those who are taken on could work in a variety of roles from manual work to administrative work to professional and technical roles and spend some time with different partners. They could, for example, start with the city council, move on to the Primary Care Trust and then work for the Fire and Rescue service as need for work demands. This is about finding a role that is right for the individual. It is important that at a time when there is enormous financial pressure on the public sector that we do not take the easy option and stop recruiting apprentices to save money. That would be extremely short-sighted. We need to prepare our young people for the future by giving them opportunities to learn, get qualifications and gain work experience so when we come out of the recession they will have a far better chance of getting a sustainable job. We gave a pledge that we would create 100 apprentices and we intend to honour that commitment.” said Councillor Nick Small, the city council’s Cabinet Member for Employment and Skills.

A Liverpool Apprentice will be employed for two years and, will get paid the national minimum wage which from October 2010, this will range from £3.64 at age 16 to £5.93 at 21. This is in contrast to the Government’s new apprenticeship scheme which will only pay £2.50 per hour!

It is intended that the apprentices will be employed by a community interest company which will oversee their training.

A number of apprentices and trainees are already in post and it is expected that the majority will be recruited within the next few months.

BUSTING THE NON JOBS MYTH

UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector trade union, today slammed Eric Pickles’ attack on so-called ‘non-jobs’ in local government. The union warned that making cuts to council jobs would not be painless, and called on Eric Pickles to turn his firepower on the money councils waste on expensive private consultants.

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:-  “Eric Pickles is perpetuating the myth that job cuts can be painless.  The truth is that Tory cuts will hit communities hard.  The tale of the non-job is a myth. Eric Pickles should look a little closer at the valuable work people in local councils do, and at the millions wasted on expensive private consultants, who add little value.  Freedom of information requests submitted by UNISON in 2008 showed that councils spent at least £800m a year on consultants, and another £1.5bn (£1,500m) a year on agency staff.  This money would be better spent protecting services.  A closer look at so-called non-jobs shows the value they bring local communities. Councils work together with local businesses and other agencies such as the police and fire brigades to fund some posts, particularly for young people.  Take the example of a street football co-ordinator in Moray Council.

Despite being advertised at £19,887, the post cost the council just £3,000.   It got more than 70 young people involved, led to a reduction in antisocial behaviour, vandalism, teenage alcohol abuse and graffiti. Money well spent on a very worthwhile job.”

Business fined for food hygiene offences

A wholesaler selling out of date meat has been fined for risking the health of people across the region.

Following an unannounced inspection by Liverpool City Council environmental health officers to a warehouse used by China Transit Foods Ltd on 8 December, the team found sixteen packets of cooked pork with a use by date of 18 November 2010.

In total more than 80kg of cooked meat was being sold from the Townsend Street warehouse – despite being twenty days past its use by date.

It’s illegal to sell food after the date has expired as manufacturers can’t guarantee the safety of the food. Selling out of date cooked meat increases the risk of listeria bacteria growing - which can be fatal for the elderly, can make people with low immune systems poorly and can be dangerous for pregnant women.

Shu Zhao Chen, director of China Transit Foods, pleaded guilty to three breaches of food safety law. These were:-

· Not registering as the operator of a food business.

· Not having a food safety management system in place.

· Selling food after the use by date had expired.

Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Tim Moore, said:- “This company was taking unnecessary risks with the health of members of the public, and this prosecution sends out the message that we will not tolerate this sort of behaviour. Our environmental health team will always work with organisations to help them comply with the law, but in some cases we have no choice but to prosecute traders who put public health at serious risk.”

The tip-off came after environmental health officers from Wirral MBC discovered out of date cooked meat at a take-away in Wirral. The meat had been supplied by China Transit Foods located in Liverpool. When the city council’s team was alerted, they discovered the company wasn’t even registered.

Magistrates imposed total fines and costs of £1,315 on China Transit Foods and Shu Zhao Chen, of Brodie Avenue, was ordered to pay an additional £600 due to his neglect as the sole company director.

National Motorcycle Week celebrates the future

EVERY year the motorcycle industry celebrates the benefits of travelling on two wheels during National Motorcycle Week and promotes a future that could see fewer cars, less congestion and lower emissions; as well as the pure fun of motorcycle riding.

This year, National Motorcycle Week runs from Sunday, 18 July 2010, until Saturday, 24 July 2010 and Britain will join many other countries such as Germany and the USA by organising motorcycling events, including a Ride-To-Work Day on Wednesday, 21 July 2010.

RideSafe BackSafe are supporting the promotion under the banner of “Life’s better on two wheels” for many reasons, as Communications Manager Emma Kelly explains:- “National Motorcycle Week will celebrate the freedom and enjoyment of travelling on two wheels and the ease with which riders can reach their destination; as well as the social, economic and environmental benefits. But we also see this as an opportunity to encourage safer riding and would urge young, returning and even experienced riders in the North West region to make this the week that they focus on improving their own skills and confidence by booking a personal rider training day. If thousands of moped, scooter and motorcycle riders all take their bikes to work on Wednesday, 21 July 2010, it may also encourage other road users to ‘think bike’ and appreciate that bikers come from all walks of life.“

Many activities from dealership open days to biker breakfasts and Sunday ride-outs will be organised during the week.

Anyone thinking of buying a bike for the first time can already sign up for a free one-hour riding experience with fully qualified instructors through the national ‘Get On’ campaign. Whilst employers are being encouraged to organise training for employees who ride to work, or invite local instructors or BikeSafe officers to visit their workplace and present hints and tips on safer commuting.

For more information about National Motorcycle Week, goto:- mcia.co.uk.

To book a free ‘taster session’ as a new or returning rider, goto:- geton.co.uk.

For a motorcycle Training Directory and road safety advice, goto:- ridesafebacksafe.co.uk.