A NORTH Ayrshire business used a government recruitment scheme to hire its first Modern Apprentice.

Thorne Travel has brought in Craig Hume (pictured) from Dreghorn to work on developing their social media over the summer.

19-year-old Craig’s first year at the travel agent will see his wage subsidised 50 per cent by the council, while the government and skills development will assist with the funding for training. The two year apprenticeship involves in-house and external training to help boost the company’s presence on a variety of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Shona Thorne, Managing Director of Thorne Travel, said: “Craig was chosen following a rigorous interview process to ensure we had the best person for this important role.

“We have a very strong presence currently and believe this is the way forward. What we realised was that we needed someone to manage this area and come up with new and exciting ideas to develop the business further.” Councilllor Marie Burns, Cabinet Member for Economy & Employment added: “I look forward to hearing about Craig’s progress over the next two years.”