Plexus Law launches apprenticeship scheme in Leeds

Insurance super firm Plexus Law has launched its own apprenticeship, which incorporates a government-backed scheme, with the first intake set to start in late August 2012. The two-year programme is based on the conventional training contract model and guarantees that apprentices will be paid a salary above the minimum wage.

The scheme will run from Plexus’s Leeds office in partnership with the city’s Notre Dame Sixth Form College, students from which will have the chance to become Plexus apprentices. The apprenticeship will use a four-seat system over the two years, with each seat to be a six-month placement in a different department of Plexus, so that apprentices can experience working in a range of practice areas. The first year will also include a Level Two NVQ in business and legal administration, while apprentices will also have time to gain experience in finance and administration departments. The second year of the programme is set to comprise the Legal Services Higher Apprenticeship, a separate scheme that is backed by the government and due to launch in March 2013. Second-year apprentices will also complete the equivalent of an NVQ Level Four.

Hilary Yeo, a partner at Plexus’s Leeds office, said: "With the cost of going to university now prohibitive for many, bright A-Level students are increasingly seeking alternative options when they leave college. We are delighted to be able to offer comprehensive, meaningful and paid apprenticeships to local Leeds students, opening up new pathways into the law. We are pleased to be at the forefront of this pioneering scheme ahead of the launch of the Legal Services Higher Apprenticeship next year. This scheme can only help increase the diversity of young people from different backgrounds entering the legal profession."