A-Team puts Kai on the road to success (From Crewe Guardian)

A-Team puts Kai on the road to success

9:00am Sunday 12th February 2012 in News By Katie Durose

A STAR apprentice has spoken out about finding work at a time when youth unemployment is at its highest.

Kai Brereton, 21, from Crewe, was taken on as an apprentice through Cheshire East Council’s A-Team Scheme, which aims to tackle youth unemployment in the borough’s 16-24-year-old age group.

The scheme gives both practical experience and a chance to study for nationally recognised qualifications and has given more than 80 young people the opportunity to work within a number of council services.

With more than a million young people out of work in the UK, Kai’s story is a timely reminder of what can be achieved.

After a year and a half of claiming benefits while living at home with his mum and two younger siblings, Kai began to sink into depression about not being able to find work.

He had been bullied at school because of his weight and clever academic ability.

“One day I just snapped in school,” he said: “I had my head slammed against a wall by a bully once too often.

“It was a build-up of so much frustration and anger, I just let rip at everyone.”

Kai was offered counselling, which he says went some way towards helping him. But by the time he left school, his self-confidence was at an all time low.

Without any experience in the workplace Kai struggled to find a job and employers failed to see beyond the shy teenager.

His break finally came when he was taken on by Cheshire East Council as an A-Team apprentice working as an assistant housing advisor.

He added: “It was a huge opportunity to finally prove my worth. Every task I was given, I just tore through it; there was no stopping me.

“My confidence began to improve as the positive feedback came in and instead of a cycle of self-doubt and failure, it was a cycle of confidence and achievement.”

In his first year as an apprentice Kai earned around £5,500. Now in his second year, his wage has increased to £11,000. He works a standard 37-hour week and puts in the overtime during busy periods.

Last year, Kai was crowned A-Team Apprentice of the Year and was also made an A-Team ambassador.

Kai added: The work is very interesting and at the end of the day I feel incredibly fulfilled that I’ve helped people who are vulnerable. It’s my ambition to become a manager.”

For more information on the A-Team scheme, call Ben Whitter on 01270 686662.