Gosport MP puts on an apron to take on role as shop apprentice
TIME FOR A CUPPA Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage serves a coffee to Reinis Niedritis at Costa Coffee in High Street, Gosport to mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week. Picture: Steve Reid (120431-661)
WHIPPING up cappuccinos is not usually part of an MP’s job description.
But Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage went behind the coffee shop counter yesterday to try out life as an apprentice.
Ms Dinenage spent the morning at the town’s Costa coffee shop to mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week.
She greeted customers and picked up some coffee-making skills to highlight the range of apprenticeships there are for young people in Gosport.
Ms Dinenage said: ‘I never thought I could do an apprenticeship with coffee and cake and customer service.
‘There are a lot of apprenticeships to do with things like engineering but actually there is something for everybody.
‘Gosport has lots of apprenticeships on offer thanks to places like EDF Energy, Vector Aerospace and Network Rail.
‘And I thought this year it would be nice to highlight a different kind of apprenticeship.’
National Apprenticeship Week is held to promote the benefits of apprenticeships.
It comes as the number of apprenticeships being taken up has increased by 58 per cent in the last year.
Ms Dinenage added: ‘A degree doesn’t guarantee you a job at the end of it and you’re likely to come out with a lot of debt.
‘Also a lot of people aren’t suited to a more academic career and are more suited to something where they can get their hands dirty and do a job.’
Gosport’s Costa coffee shop manager Reinis Niedritis and assistant manager Ben Gosling both started off as apprentices.
Ben, 19, of Wych Lane in Gosport, said: ‘I love working here and doing the apprenticeship has been really good for me.
‘I started off as an apprentice then I got a promotion to assistant manager.
‘I have to do exams and things like that but it’s not all paperwork, it’s about skills to do with the job.
‘I don’t have to pay for it because Costa does, which is a big help.
‘I would encourage other people to do the same thing if they were thinking about it.
‘Having Caroline work with us was great.
‘She was doing a really good job and was friendly with everyone.’
Costa’s apprenticeship scheme is supported by Gosport-based training company Fareport Training.
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Comments
There are 30 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Sunshineandshowers
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 01:58 PMGiven that I expressed concern about not receiving a reply from Mrs Dinenage, eventually I did and she is trying to help so thankyou : )
liverpoolboy
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 06:26 PMTo be fair to C.Dinenage she does,answer her emails eventually.Sadly it's usually the Party Line. Our MP in my opinion is a career politician. Just another photo opportunity. Got your vote thank you!
Billy Hunt
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 09:44 AMMr. Soper, this is disappointing and slightly confusing news, but not the end of the world! When i spoke to the young lady at said Mcdonalds yesterday PM (02392 510 018??) i was advised that there were 2 job opportunities, i will, therefore, pop in at some point over the weekend for a coffee (cheaper than Costa ) and attempt to clarify this .It should be noted however that in my original post i was not inferring that Mcdonalds run an appreniceship scheme of any kind in the South (accredited training is their mantra down here and stars are the reward - but this may not be the case further north in Manchester or Sheffield say?) merely that a job was available for the right person, so many apologies if this was misleading. In the meantime it may be worth making contact with the central Fareham and Newgate Lane branches of the outlet who just may have openings? It may also be worth enquiring at High Street stalwarts Lu Chinos (thankyou SEEJAY32 further down thread) or maybe Poppins (who i might add do a fantastic and very reasonably priced mixed grill) and who are also situated locally in the High Street? Fingers and toes crossed!
graham soper
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 07:25 PMThankyou CTID for your advice,and thank you Billy Hunt. I contacted McDonalds in Gosport and they don't have job vacancies in Gosport, and when I enquired about possible apprenticeship schemes with their company I was told not in the south of england.
CTID
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 04:53 PMUnfortunately Mr Soper, your son is already qualified to level 3. This would mean, as mentioned in my previous post, that the company employing him would have to foot the bill for his apprenticeship and unfortunately there are not many that would do this. I suggest you take the advice offered by Billy Hunt!
Dale Fletcher
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:25 PM@23 sunshineandshowers I'm not sure of the subject area you're referring to in reference to your not having been contacted by Caroline, but am certain that you'll get a response to any correspondence you send her. I'd challenge you to send it again so as to illicit a reply. Unfortunately it's hard to chase up and be sure of its receipt when you're using a pseudonym. If I knew your name I'd phone her office for you, so have to take your word that your not getting a response. Have you had any form of receipt?
Billy Hunt
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:17 PMMr. Soper, i feel for you.......so, after reading through this thread, i made a quick phone call and am pleased to say that there are currently 2 job openings at the Mcdoanlds fast food outlet in Gosport High Street (online aplications only at http:jobs.mcdonalds.co.uk). Not engineering i know but everyone has to start somewhere (and it is local).
Sunshineandshowers
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 07:46 AM@no 20 - I have just checked the email address and I do have the right one and I know that I am just one of many in the Bridgemary community who have emailed her. Some have had a lazy reply - in other words telling people to do something already done and lots on the way up to then get up contacting her as our MP. Unfortunately, a lot of us have had NO reply at all but if all she is going to do is go back to first port of call - what a waste of time like our Conservative County Councillor who has backed up the Conservative led HCC. I am sorry for detracting away from the theme of this article but how else can we get Mrs Dinenage's attention?
graham soper
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:09 PMI am pleased to see CITD works for the largest apprentice training company in the UK. Maybe you and your company could help my son get an apprenticeship in this area.
CTID
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:36 PMWhilst I agree that the article is not really about apprenticeships more on the job training, I am slightly irked at some of the comments made on here by uneducated and ill informed people. The article is not about Conservatives or Costa Coffee, it is about Apprentice week. I work for the UK's largest apprentice training company. One of the posts on here states that apprenticeships are now recruiting people with higher qualifications, this is untrue. Apprenticeships would not be funded if the applicant had the equivalent level of qualification gained through the scheme. Therefore,companies offering apprenticeships must be willing to bourne the costs of putting someone through the scheme, not cheap by any means. I also know this as my step son, also mentioned in one of the posts, oh and by the way he works in above mentioned Costa Coffee, applied for many apprenticeships, he was unsuccessful as he is qualified in engineering to level 3. The same level you gain from an apprenticeship. Whilst looking for apprenticeships he took a job, in Costa Coffee, and has applied himself and become the assistant manager. He has attended various courses and has to complete workbooks. He is also completing his NVQ Level 3. Is it any wonder that our youth are losing faith, we should be encouraging them, not making snide remarks.
Dale Fletcher
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 06:56 PM@1, @2, & @18 Sunshineandshowers just a thought, I notice that you spell Caroline's name Dineage, this may be why you're not getting a reply. I know Caroline replies to all her emails. The correct spelling is DINENAGE, have a go with caroline.dinenage.mp@parliment.uk (caroline dot dinenage dot mp at parliament dot uk). All the best, I'm sure you'll get a response.
graham soper
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:36 AMI have read all the comments people have made. I really don't think Ms Dinenage really cares about the constituency she pretends to represent. She obviously hasn't walked down Gosport High Street and seen all the closed shops. We all like a nice cup of coffee, but we would like our children to have - real jobs in Gosport. Maybe if she lived in Gosport she would see more of the town she represents.
Sunshineandshowers
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:00 PMSo she's STILL to be busy to reply to my email sent over two weeks ago? Constituents all across Bridgemary are turning their backs on Conservative Local County Councillor and our local MP too. No action = no vote. Simples
graham soper
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 07:27 PMFurther to my last comments. My son was on the same engineering course at St Vincents College with one of the persons mentioned in article. If only my son had applied for a coffee shop apprenticeship instead of trying to get an engineering apprenticeship, he might well have a job today.
overtheill
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 05:29 PMSadly apprenticeship is the latest word to be hijacked by trendy politicians and the media.When those of us of a certain age served apprenticeships it was to learn a trade and get a proper job.You left school at 15 and worked for a full year as a poorly payed beginner.At 16 you started your 5 year apprenticeship learning on the job and attednding day release to gain the necessary academic qualifications.At 21 providing you had achieved the necessary results at college you then and only then went onto fully skilled pay. If you were lucky there would be a job for you
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