A St Albans apprentice attended at a national event organised by older people's housing and care charity The Abbeyfield Society to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (NAW).

Jack Pinkham joined apprentices from Abbeyfield at the Apprentice Showcase event in Solihull.

After leaving school, 19-year-old Jack began working as a general assistant at Abbeyfield’s St Albans-based headquarters.

He said: "I was asked if wanted to become a business administration apprentice at Abbeyfield and I jumped at the chance.

"My apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to grow. I’ve got to know people in the workplace, learnt directly about the organisation itself and the people we are here to help. I have built up great working relationships with people at every level, from our residents to the directors.

"My aspiration is to do the best I can and get the highest level I can. My apprenticeship here at Abbeyfield has been the best path I could have asked for."

Abbeyfield chief executive Natasha Singarayer said: "Abbeyfield is proud to be celebrating the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals like Jack within our organisation and it is important the skills of these talented and committed young people - the real apprentices - are recognised.

"As a charity whose ethos is to make a difference to the lives of our older generations, it is only right that Abbeyfield should nurture and support young people too, and help them develop the skills sets they need to progress in their chosen career, as well as building a trained future workforce for our organisation.

"Abbeyfield will be expanding the number of apprentices offered as we continue to create opportunities to support young people into work."

Abbeyfield’s Apprentice Celebration Event was part of the eighth annual National Apprenticeship Week which took place from 9-13 March 2015, with hundreds of events taking place across England.

The Week, which is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, is designed to celebrate Apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the economy.