Amicus and Cadbury Trebor Bassett Team Up to Offer Former MG Rover Apprentices a Future

LONDON, August 11 --

Amicus and Cadbury Trebor Bassett have joined forces to give a former MG Rover worker the opportunity to finish his apprenticeship at the company's manufacturing plant in Bournville.

Former MG Rover apprentice, 23 year-old Jamie Bright, has been selected by Cadbury's to complete his training at Bournville after an Amicus shop steward at the plant came up with the idea to fund an MG Rover apprentice place.

Over 120 Amicus members at the plant voted overwhelmingly to pay the apprentice's salary from their own wages and Cadbury's have offered Jamie a one year contract to enable him to finish his qualifications alongside their other apprentices. Jamie had been in the third year of a Maintenance Engineering apprenticeship with MG Rover when the company collapsed.

Amicus and Cadbury's are now looking for a second apprentice from MG Rover or an affected supplier who is now unable to complete his or her training. Amicus members will again fund the apprentice place.

The new apprentice, Jamie Bright said: "I feel lucky to even have a job, let alone have the chance to finish my apprenticeship and I am extremely grateful to my colleagues from Amicus who took the decision to do this and pay for me to be here out of their own pockets. Many other of the lads I worked with at MG Rover haven't been so fortunate. I only hope other employers in the region will step forward to offer other former MG workers the same opportunity."

Fred Sherwood, Amicus' Senior Steward at the plant who came up with the idea, said: "We're absolutely delighted that our members have chosen to pay themselves for an MG Rover apprentice to have the opportunity to finish his training. We, like everyone else, were devastated by the news of MG Rover's closure and our members wanted to do their bit to help those affected."

Cadbury's Head of Manufacturing at Bournville Mark Jones said: "Cadbury has a long and honourable tradition of working closely with the local community and this is another wonderful example of Cadbury people showing their commitment to the community and to training and development. The Unions and the company have worked together to put our values into action."

Anyone who would like further information about the remaining apprenticeship opportunity should contact Jayne Winslow in Cadbury Trebor Bassett's HR Department on +44-(0)121-451-4758.