Dumfries and Galloway Council apprentice plan proceeds
Dumfries and Galloway Council has agreed to spend £5m taking on 250 young apprentices over the next five years.
The openings with the authority will be targeted at 16 to 19 year olds.
The council is also seeking talks with the Scottish government for extra funding to tackle youth unemployment in the region.
Chief executive Gavin Stevenson said the apprenticeship was one which could benefit the council and the young people involved.
"We have an ageing workforce as well as an ageing population so these are real jobs in the future," he said.
"But more importantly we will give them proper training that would help them be employable within the public or the private sector.
"It is not a subsidy scheme - it is creation of training and employment opportunities for these young people."