A NEW apprenticeship scholarship programme will give two construction firms in Cumbria the chance to benefit from the placement of an apprentice who will be funded to work for them for 12 months.

The initiative has been launched by the construction audit, contract and payroll provider, Hudson Contract, to celebrate its 20th anniversary and provide opportunities to two young apprentices in the North West hoping to take their first steps on the construction career ladder.

Hudson Contract will sponsor the apprentices by covering their salaries for up to a year.

Firms can apply to take on one of the apprentices by visiting www.hudsoncontract.co.uk/scholarship , and describing in up to 100 words how having an apprentice can benefit their business.

Applications close on Thursday.

Hudson says there has been strong year-on-year growth in construction apprenticeships.

There were a record 18,290 construction apprenticeship programme starts in 2014-2015 compared with 15,890 the previous year.

Ian Anfield, managing director of Hudson Contract, said: “The building trade is one of the biggest apprenticeship employers, and with a serious skills shortage impacting the sector we really wanted to give something back to construction firms."