Surrey County Council's heritage service has been awarded a £5,000 national grant towards hiring an apprentice.

The money, from the Museum, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), will go towards the cost of employing a young person to work at the Surrey History Centre in Woking and the Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell.

The apprentice will be working over two years towards an NVQ level three in Cultural and Heritage Venue Operations, through a combination of formal training and practical experience at the two sites.

Dr Pat Reynolds, Surrey Heritage Manager, said: "What the young person will work on largely depends on what they are interested in but we hope to get them involved in organising our events and working with the diverse range of communities in Surrey."

The apprentice will be recruited through the county council’s apprenticeship scheme, which is co-ordinated by the Skills Development Team, and will be paid a salary of between £9,000 and £11,500.

The vacancy will be advertised on the Surrey County Council website within the next couple of weeks and is open to anyone aged between 16 and 24.

Denise Saliagopoulos, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: "This apprenticeship opportunity will provide the young person with a chance to do some real hands on work in a very diverse heritage organisation. Our hope is that after the two years they will go on to enjoy a successful career in heritage."

For more information, email doitforyou@surreycc.gov.uk or call 0208 541 7006