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Meet Luke Kenny, our Central YMCA Apprentice of the Year

After ending up in a career that wasn’t for him, Luke Kenny found his dream job with help from us.

Changing career isn’t easy – as anyone who’s been through it will tell you. It takes a lot of courage, support and determination. This is something Luke Kenny knows a lot about.

After leaving school at 16 Luke made the decision to train as a chef, but it left him feeling uninspired and depressed. So he came to us – through our operation YMCA Training – and after talking about his interests Luke took the bold decision to leave his job so that he could pursue his dream. It helped that a good friend of his had himself been through an apprenticeship scheme and could recommend it.

Luke enrolled on the Central YMCA Level One Traineeship Programme. It’s designed to help give young adults the chance to progress onto further training such as an apprenticeship or into employment. With his keen interest in all things mechanical, Luke found himself a garage in Oldham, Manchester, that wanted to sponsor him throughout his 19+ Traineeship.

The Central YMCA Apprenticeship scheme has, quite literally, changed my life.
Luke Kenny, Central YMCA Apprentice of the Year

Due to his passion and desire to learn, Luke impressed the garage so much that they decided to employ him full-time, which enabled him to sign up to the Central YMCA Apprenticeship programme. The road to the apprenticeship wasn’t easy and Luke faced many hurdles, but he hasn’t looked back.

“The Central YMCA Apprenticeship scheme has, quite literally, changed my life,” he says. “I am happy, not only in my job but with life in general. I have learnt so much already and am still learning – I have had some amazing support and met friends for life with this scheme. I get out of bed in the morning to go to work and do a job that I can say I love and am passionate about.

"I am so grateful for the apprenticeship experience and would implore anyone considering it to just go for it! The reward outweighs the risk.”

YMCA Training is one of Central YMCA's operations. Read more about Central YMCA and its four operations.

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