Yorkshire Water is reintroducing its apprenticeship schemes for the first time in a decade.

From September of this year the utilities company will be taking on 14 apprentices, aged between 16 and 19, who will be employed in either the clean water or waste water divisions at sites in Bradford, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and York.

Trainees will also be working towards a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) to further enhance their skills and each apprenticeship is due to last for a two-year period.

Yorkshire Water's managing director, Kevin Whiteman, said: "We are reintroducing the scheme to bring in youngsters with fresh ideas who will stay with us for many years and progress through the ranks.

"A lot of youngsters can't get jobs without the experience and they can't get the experience without having a job.''

Mr Whiteman added: "It's a classic Catch 22 situation which we are addressing."