Care Leaver Kayleigh Secures Apprenticeship with Bradford Council
Kayleigh, a determined young care leaver from Bradford, has successfully secured a Deputy Registrar Apprenticeship with Bradford Council, an achievement that reflects her resilience, ambition, and commitment to building a meaningful career.
From the outset, Kayleigh was keen to create a positive future for herself. She worked closely with Arsalan Ashfaq, Engagement Lead at SkillsHouse, who specialises in overseeing educational and employment support for care leavers across the district. Arsalan helped Kayleigh to explore a range of career options and gain clarity on what she wanted to do, and the steps needed to get there. After thoughtful consideration, she made the decision to pursue the apprenticeship opportunity within the Council’s Register Office.
As part of her preparation, Kayleigh took part in tailored assessment centres delivered by the SkillsHouse Business Engagement Team. These sessions helped her build confidence, strengthen her interview skills, and understand the expectations of a professional working environment.
Kayleigh’s life experiences played a significant role in shaping the strengths she brought forward - her maturity, empathy, and strong interpersonal skills shone through at every stage of the recruitment process.
When speaking about the opportunity ahead, Kayleigh said:
“I am looking forward to this opportunity of working in the Register Office.”
The Register Office Team Manager, Jill Raine, shared her pride in welcoming another young person into the service:
“Over the years the Register Office have given opportunities to many young people, me included, who have gone on to have long and successful careers, so we hope this is the start of an exciting journey for Kayleigh and look forward to watching her grow and develop as she learns new skills.”
Reflecting on the journey, Arsalan added:
“Kayleigh has demonstrated real commitment and a strong willingness to succeed. We are delighted to have supported her in securing this apprenticeship, and we hope her story encourages more care leavers to access the support available through SkillsHouse.
With exciting developments and opportunities ahead through the Bradford Family Business Model and our work with the Trust and wider partners, we are committed to improving outcomes for our looked‑after children across the district.”
Kayleigh’s story is a powerful example of what is possible when ambition is met with the right support. Her success represents not only a personal milestone, but is also testament to Bradford’s ongoing commitment to empowering care-leavers to build bright and fulfilling futures.
If you would like support from the SkillsHouse team, please Contact Us or give us a call on 01274 437373.