Twenty-two young people from the Workington area are getting support from an apprenticeship programme being managed by a leading training company.

PHX Training, which has an office in Peter Street, Workington, is developing the apprenticeship programmes in business and administration, customer service, retail, management, team leading and warehousing.

Funding for the programme is coming from the government’s Improving People in Work scheme which encourages those already in work to take up apprentice training.

Dan Scott, PHX Training managing director, said: “This is part of the initiative to provide support for those people already in work who want to develop skills and qualifications in a certain field.

“This is all about building successful futures for the individuals as well as their employers so it’s refreshing for all concerned and a win-win situation all round.”

Government-backed training programmes in apprenticeships provide employers with the opportunity to further equip staff with the skills and qualifications which in turn help their business improve productivity and efficiency.

PHX Training has a 46-strong team of trainers offering wide-ranging online resources as well as face-to-face facilities at nine training centres in Blackburn, Barrow-in-Furness, Blackpool, Kendal, Millom, Morecambe, Penrith, Workington and Southport.

One of the key contracts operated by PHX is the government’s Learndirect programme which helps to give unemployed people the skills they need to find jobs. PHX has a record of a 90 per cent success rate for people enrolling on the programme.