The East Anglian Air Ambulance is one of the latest organisations to support the Norwich for Jobs campaign and is celebrating the recruitment of a new apprentice.
Natalie Cotton, 20, was recruited through the Norwich For Jobs (NFJ) initiative and started her role as lottery administrator for the charity's lottery department at Norwich Airport earlier this month.
To mark her appointment and the partnership between the charity and campaign, the EAAA invited Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, who leads NFJ, to start the air ambulance's Friday lottery draw yesterday.
Natalie, from Fakenham, who previously worked as a cleaner, said: 'I wanted to undertake an apprenticeship with a local company so I had the opportunity to earn and learn at the same time. I am enjoying my new position.'
As part of her apprenticeship she is studying for an administration level two qualification. She said she thought NFJ was a brilliant campaign because of the opportunities it was opening up to young people.
'NFJ gives young people the chance to get the experience to get ahead,' she said.
Lottery manager Jody Fiveash said: 'It has been brilliant for the charity's lottery department to work with Norwich For Jobs and City College Norwich to find a suitable apprentice. The whole process was very stress-free and very supportive.
'I wanted to be able to give a young person a brilliant start in a real working environment whilst working to a nationally recognised qualification.
'Natalie is proving a very much needed employee to the department.'
After meeting Natalie and pressing the button to start this week's EAAA lottery draw, Miss Smith said: 'This is a great innovation from a really good local charity and obviously really engages not only the members of the charity but also its staff.
'It is a really happy buzzing office and it is great to see the charity being able to take on an apprentice.
'I hope it encourages other Norwich and Norfolk businesses to consider what they could do to help get young Norwich working.'
NFJ, which is backed by the EDP, seeks to halve Norwich youth unemployment in two years and encourage the creation of 1,000 jobs. During the first two months, 181 jobs and 107 apprenticeships have been pledged. Visit www.norwichforjobs.org.uk or email info@norwichforjobs.org.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here