Ann Steward, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for economic development, apprentice chef Phil Short and Alison Thomas, the council's cabinet member for children's services.

An unemployed teenager is closer to realising his dream of becoming a chef thanks to a scheme which encourages companies to take on apprentices.

Phil Short, 16, from Thorpe St Andrew, has been taken on to train as a chef after picking up advice and information via a Norfolk County Council campaign.

The county council’s Apprenticeship’s Norfolk campaign was launched in September and aims to create up to 400 apprenticeship jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds over the next two years.

Phil was unemployed when he went to the launch of the campaign at the Forum in Norwich, but is now on his way to achieving his goal of becoming a chef.

Norfolk Training Services was at the open day and arranged a successful interview for the teenager at Butlers Café and Restaurant in Holt.

Phil starts his chef’s apprenticeship today and said: “After I left school I knew I wanted to be a chef, but was unsure of how to go about it.

“I had been unemployed for several weeks when I heard about the Apprenticeships Norfolk scheme and thought I would go along to the open day as it sounded like it might give me some ideas.

“Continuing with the traditional route of studying in a classroom didn’t appeal to me, so apprenticeships seemed like they could be the answer.” As well as his new apprenticeship, Phil also won an iPad in a county council competition.

He was picked from hundreds of young people who signed up to the Apprenticeships Norfolk Scheme at the open day.

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