Countrywide has launched a new apprenticeship scheme for young people who want a career in the property industry.

The new scheme, described as being completely unique to Countrywide, has been unveiled during National Apprenticeship Week.

The Countrywide scheme gives apprentices training and development over two years to the standard of a Level 3 estate agency qualification. The qualification has been developed by Countrywide and is awarded by City & Guilds.

Once the apprentice has completed the training they will gain free membership of NAEA.

Recruitment is set to be advertised from next month, with the first recruits taken on to the scheme in the summer.

The scheme will initially be trialled for six months in four UK regions with 20 apprenticeships forming the first cohort. This will increase significantly to an intake of 100 apprentices per year thereafter.

The first apprenticeships are being offered in Yeovil, Southampton, St Helens (Merseyside), Allerton (Liverpool), Preston, Walkden (Manchester), Hazel Grove (Stockport) and Newcastle under Lyne.

Mark Bennett, head of subsidiary training at Countrywide, said: “The downturn in the UK economy which started seven years ago is still having a negative impact on many young people, with unemployment high in many areas of the country.

“Apprenticeships are an excellent option for all students and are just as much a route to a successful career as University.

“We are proud to be leading the way in the estate agency industry and giving more young people the chance to learn on the job, whilst earning money, and developing life skills and their careers.”

Countrywide was the first estate agent to develop a formally recognised estate agency qualification. It is Level 2 Technical Awards in Residential Sales, which was independently approved by City & Guilds.

The qualification is recognised by future employers industry-wide, in the same way as the NAEA’s Level 3 Technical Award.

* Yesterday David Cameron announced new “degree apprenticeships” which will combine university degrees with practical wage-earning on-the-job training. One of the new degree apprenticeships will be in chartered surveying.