This blog is my attempt to connect directly with the people of Essex. I hope that it will become a forum for discussion and debate around many of the issues and challenges facing our county. In a sense this is as much your blog as it is mine - so make the most of it and send me your thoughts and comments. In return, I hope to be able to get across a little of what I and the rest of my colleagues in County Hall do; how we are trying to make Essex a better place to live and work, how we are trying to improve the services we offer to you and how we are attempting to promote Essex, locally, nationally and internationally.
Tuesday October 20, 2009 Whilst I was walking around the facility and chatting to the apprentices it dawned on me what a fantastic opportunity this really is for the 120 young people recruited by Essex County Council. The apprentices are keen and enthusiastic and can clearly see the benefits of learning useful, work based skills as a route to employment against the other career choices their peers have made. In fact, some are already talking of potential offers of work from the companies they have been placed with for the work experience element of the scheme. Seeing samples of some of the work these guys are producing at such an early stage of the course and sensing the commitment of the teaching team, I am confident in the positive impact this will make to the
