Have your say 2026

LinkedIn rant shares frustration at lack of joinery apprenticeships

LinkedIn rant shares frustration at lack of joinery apprenticeships

Jeanette Ashmole, TV Consultant and Screenwriter, shares her frustration on LinkedIn, which she has agreed for Modern Joinery News to use, with the joinery sector after her 17-year-old struggled to secure an apprenticeship.

Have your say 2026

Well I must say that I’ve been disgusted in the lack of opportunities for young people in Derby.

“My 17-year-old, an army cadet for five and a half years, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, First Aid Certs, a professional Army mentoring/teaching certificate and an NVQ in Public Services can’t get an apprenticeship anywhere.

“There has only been two – that’s two apprentice joiners advertised in the whole of Derbyshire this year. He didn’t get either.

“And to top it off, my hard-working daughter who has also been an army cadet for five years, with that same experience plus voluntary experience at a school in Kenya and an international army camp in Gibraltar is struggling now she’s a qualified level two teaching assistant to get a job!

“Told today she doesn’t have enough experience! What a joke! And they wonder why young people are sat at home on their arses!

“If anybody can help please let me know – I’ve brought my kids up to work hard and that’s what they want to do! Rant over!”

Have you or someone you know had similar problems finding an apprenticeship? Or if there are any local joinery companies in the Derbyshire area with an apprenticeship available, please get in touch.

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