Somerset Council has celebrated the achievements of its latest cohort of supported digital interns.
Certificates were awarded at a presentation on Tuesday, June 23, with interns, families, and supporters in attendance, including Discovery job coaches, UCS College Group tutors, and council staff.
The scheme is part of the Somerset Digital Futures Project and targets young people aged 16 to 25 with additional support needs, including autism and special educational needs, helping them develop workplace skills and move towards employment in the digital sector.
Deanne Mahony, supported employment lead at Somerset Council, said: "It was wonderful to celebrate the achievements of this year's Digital Supported Interns and recognise the confidence, skills and independence they have developed throughout the programme.
"My thanks go to Chris Attridge from Discovery, Jim Odams from UCS College Group and our ICT teams across Somerset Council for their dedication in creating meaningful opportunities for our interns to succeed.
"We were particularly proud to welcome one of the interns into our careers & pathways team.
"Seeing her grow in confidence and make such a positive contribution has been a highlight of the year.
"It was especially fitting that our chief executive, Duncan Sharkey, presented the awards, highlighting Somerset Council’s strong commitment to supported employment and the Supported Internship programmes delivered through the Imagine the Possibilities partnership."
The programme is delivered in partnership with Somerset Council, Discovery, and UCS College Group, with Discovery providing job coach support throughout the internship.
Over the course of the year-long scheme, interns worked within the council’s ICT, careers & pathways, and cyber security teams.
They gained experience in hardware and software support, AI, app development, database management, office administration, and customer service.
Each intern also attended UCS Taunton Campus one day a week to build life and employability skills.
The most significant outcomes were not just technical achievements but also the interns’ growing confidence, independence, and workplace readiness.
Several have now secured digital apprenticeships with Somerset Council.
The ceremony was a proud celebration, recognising not only what the interns had accomplished over the past year but also the exciting futures that now lie ahead.
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