A TEAM of nine apprentices from QinetiQ are taking on the Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2017.

The second year apprentices at MOD Boscombe Down have last week started a community project to build an outside learning environment for Amesbury CoE Primary School.

Team member Louis Parisi said: "The school has designed a sheltered roundhouse enclosure, built from intertwined hazelwood with a parachute as a roof, to enable children to engage and learn in the outdoors. Our team will build it on their behalf, this includes sourcing the materials and learning how to weave hazel."

The Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2017, which is in its sixth year, is supported by the National Apprenticeship Service.

The QinetiQ team will be competing for the title of apprentice team of the year. The competition provides the opportunity for apprentices from companies of all sizes to work together to spread the word about the benefits of apprenticeships.

The team will earn points for engaging with young people, employers and their own organisation.

Louis said: “Young people are the future, and we want to make them aware of the brilliant career paths an apprenticeship can offer. "Earning and learning" is a very appealing way to kick-start a career, and this is the message we’ll be sharing by making presentations at local schools, youth groups and career fairs.”

As part of the challenge the team will be visiting employers who have expressed an interest in offering apprenticeships to discuss the options of taking people on.

Teams also gain points by informing people in their own company about the Brathay Challenge.

Louis said: “Last year, there was a job swap between CEO Steve Wadey and an apprentice, where Steve took part in a partial engine removal of a Gazelle in Hangar 45, while Ryan Potter took up Steve’s position of CEO in Farnborough.”

In March, Brathay Challenge team leader Joe Badham will be doing a job swap with Mr Wadey.

The Brathay Apprentice Challenge regional heats started in January, and the team will submit their portfolio in April.

In May, the national finalists will be announced in the House of Commons, with the finals taking place in June.