Two New Brighton businesses have teamed up with Wirral Metropolitan College to provide employment training to students who are on their supported learning internship.

Blackberry Grove and The Olive Tree will have a new team member from the college to provide trainee programmes and work related skills to students on the scheme who may have learning difficulties and disabilities while offering them a chance of permanent employment.

Blackberry Grove’s Joanna Jones said: “We were delighted to be asked to take part and were only happy to provide a place where someone can learn these qualities in a safe environment.”

The scheme was created after the College teamed up with Nightingale Social who employ numerous staff with learning difficulties in Wirral, Liverpool and Chester.

Supported internship co-ordinator from Wirral Met College, Leanne King, said: “This is a fantastic and exciting opportunity for our young adults.

“It will help to raise awareness of the Supported Internship Programme with local businesses and I’m sure this will prove to be a very rewarding experience for the teams at Blackberry Grove and The Olive Tree.

“Without the support of local businesses like these, it would be very difficult to run the programme which provides these young adults with the opportunities they need to become successful in reaching their end goal of gaining paid employment.”