THREE young apprentices from Malvern are set to become tomorrow’s skilled craftsmen thanks to local company Roundhouse, and a grant from the district council.

Josh Hocking, 20, has just completed his apprenticeship with the award-winning luxury kitchen designer and is now working as a qualified cabinet maker.

Zak Taylor and Nathan Dobbins, both 19, will shortly be completing their apprenticeship and hope to follow in Mr Hocking's footsteps.

All three will be honing their skills under the tutelage of the most experienced cabinet makers on the Roundhouse team.

The trio were taken on with the support of the council’s Malvern Hills Apprenticeship Grant, which offers £1,000 towards the cost of training an apprentice.

Roundhouse makes kitchens which are sold through high-profile showrooms across London, and each one is tailor-made by skilled craftsmen from the company’s Spring Lane factory.

Simon Smith, production manager at Roundhouse, said: “This is a family company and those values translate into our approach to workforce development. No company can guarantee a job for life, but we invest in our young people so that they have a solid crafts foundation to build their career on. It’s not just good for our company, it’s good for the future of our industry and UK Plc.”

Mr Taylor said: “We learn all the basics of wood joinery at college, and then get the specialised cabinet-making skills training on the job.”

This week is the tenth anniversary of National Apprenticeship Week. More than 500 people started an apprenticeship in the district last year and Malvern Hills District Council is committed to increasing that number.

Council leader Phil Grove said: “Apprenticeships are here to stay. We are privileged to have employers like Roundhouse in the district that are investing in our young people. We share that commitment through our five-year plan, and the Malvern Hills Apprenticeship Grant is just one of the ways we are delivering that commitment.”

Phil Merrick, the council's head of economy and communities, said: “As the government introduces new funding rules from April 2017, I’d urge all businesses to take another look at how apprenticeships can help their business.”