Torridge District Council recently welcomed six students from Bideford College to take part in a week‑long work experience programme. The placements are designed to help students gain a clearer understanding of the council’s roles and operations, while building their confidence and developing valuable skills through real-life workplace experience.
During the week, students spent time across a wide range of departments including Environmental Protection & Community Safety, Planning, Economic Development, Revenues & Benefits, Food & Safety, Northam Burrows, Customer Services and Legal, giving them the opportunity to experience many different aspects of local government in action. The council also tailored placements to match students’ personal interests and career aspirations, ensuring they could spend part of their time in the areas that most inspired them.
The students had a fantastic week working alongside officers across the council, gaining insight into day‑to‑day operations and the responsibilities of each team. Reflecting on the experience, one of the students said: “My Week at Torridge District Council was really fun. Everyone was really friendly and I loved working with Environmental Protection and Economic Development because I found it really interesting and learnt a lot.” Another student added: “It gave me a good idea on what a real life working week would feel like and helped me realise what I would like about working in a place like the Council.”.
Sarah Ayres, Head of People and Customer Focus at Torridge District Council, said: “We were delighted to welcome students from Bideford College and support them as they take their first steps toward exploring future career options. We know that thinking about the future can feel daunting, which is why we encourage students to spend time with several different teams, helping them discover what interests them most and gain a clearer understanding of the opportunities within local government. Our ongoing relationship with the college is important to us, and through these placements we hope to inspire local young people and highlight the council as an employer of choice. We look forward to welcoming more students in the near future.”
