A SCHEME designed to encourage the next generation of workers is helping budding technological talent to hone their skills and develop new ideas.

The Wyche Innovation Centre, based at Walwyn Road, in the Malvern Hills has taken on two apprentices, an intern from the University of Worcester and is hosting several work experience placements over the summer.

They have been recruited with grants provided through Malvern Hills District Council’s Skills for Growth Programme, and help from Worcestershire Apprentices and Connecting Schools and Businesses.

The young team will help produce new material to use during monthly Raspberry Pi computer workshops hosted at the centre, the organisation of the Malvern Festival of Innovation later in the year and the development of a new web-based service to provide information about community events at a hyper-local level.

Dr Adrian Burden, technical director at Key IQ, which runs the centre, said: “We had got to the point where we needed not just an extra pair of hands, but also people with the right business and technology skills to help me drive new ideas forward.

“Having a group of young talented people in the organisation is helping us develop ideas more effectively. The mix of school-aged work experience students, apprentices, an overseas student and a university student means that there are different insights and skills available. This helps to make our project outcomes more relevant.”

Cllr Phil Grove, leader of Malvern Hills District Council, said: “This is a perfect example of what the Malvern Hills Skills for Growth programme aims to do. It is fantastic to see budding young talent in the district and we are grateful to Key IQ for creating the space for them to thrive. I hope this inspires other businesses to see the benefits of bringing young people into the workplace.”