A care company has teamed up with Cambridgeshire County Council to launched its first apprenticeship scheme for young care workers across East Cambridgeshire.

A team of 12 apprentices joined the workforce at the beginning of May and they will train and work for Midas Care for a year, providing care whilst also receiving six hours of paid study time per week.

Upon completion of the scheme, the apprentices will be awarded a level two qualification in adult social care.

Cambridgeshire County Council helped launch the apprenticeship scheme to offer students the chance to gain hands-on experience in the community.

The scheme complements the recent staff expansion of Midas Care, as a result of the growing demand for care in the region.

Matt Sumner, managing director of Midas Care, said: “By employing apprentices we are investing in the future of care in the region and helping them to gain invaluable experience in the industry.

“Since 2013, we have seen a 40 per cent increase in the number of staff we employ and this is allowing us to help meet the increasing needs of our service users whilst still providing the highest levels of care.”