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In conversation with George Ritchie MBE, Chair of the North East Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network

By the year 2020 there will be three million new quality apprenticeships in the UK, that’s the ambitious target set by the government.

It’s a figure that reflects the resurgence in apprenticeships across the business community. More than 2.2 million apprenticeships have been created since 2010 and that number is growing.

As a member of the North East LEP’s Apprenticeship Growth Partnership, we’re working with government to help realise that target by supporting businesses in developing more apprenticeship vacancies and higher level apprenticeships. We want to see high quality apprenticeship provision that businesses really value.

I am a passionate supporter of apprenticeships and traineeships. I believe they’re a fantastic route to work for many young people and they provide businesses with access to a talented pool of ambitious, creative and committed workers.

As Chair of the North East Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network, it’s my role to grow the apprenticeships programme in the North East by engaging employers and promoting the benefits of apprenticeships and traineeships. In the five years I’ve been in the role I’ve seen a huge step change in the value and importance employers place on apprenticeships but there’s definitely more we can do.

One of the new initiatives we’ve introduced is the North East Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network – a collective of passionate and talented apprentices whose role it is to be the voice of apprenticeships and traineeships in the region.

As committed as I am to flying the flag for apprenticeships, I know that young people respond to advice and guidance from friends and their peers; someone like them explaining why an apprenticeship or traineeship is a great route to work is far more valuable.

That’s why you’ll be seeing members of our North East Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network at skills events, jobs/careers fairs and delivering talks in schools and colleges to enthuse and inspire the next generation of apprentices.

One of the first events the Network was involved in was actually one of the most significant. In September this year the Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Minister of State at the Department for Education, visited the North East to see first hand the positive impact apprenticeships and traineeships are having amongst young people.

Rhys Goulden, a member of the North East Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network who is currently working towards a Higher Apprenticeship in Mechanical Maintenance with Unipres UK, delivered a fantastic presentation to the Minister about the value of the apprenticeships and traineeships. Rhys did an outstanding job and the event really showed us how important the Network will be going forward.

All our young apprenticeship ambassadors go through a formal training session where they gain skills in communication, presentation and develop the self-esteem and confidence that will see them flourish in their careers. We’d like to recruit more people like Rhys to join the Network and help us raise the profile of apprenticeships amongst young people and businesses right across the North East.

If your business supports apprenticeships and traineeships, at any level, and you have a dedicated and committed member of the team you’d like to put forward to be part of the North East Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, I’d love to hear from you.

The Network is one of only four across the entire country and my ambition is for it to be the best. For that to happen we need more outstanding young apprentices to join us.

For more information and to put an apprentice forward to join the North East Young Apprenticeship Ambassador Network, please email me on [email protected] or call 01642 623 000.

I’m enormously proud of the all the young ambassadors involved in the Network and I look forward to working them, and others, to reach the government’s target of three million new apprenticeships by 2020.

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By George Ritchie MBE
Chair of the North East Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network

Home / Skills / Page 21

Success of North East LEP’s Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot recognised at industry events

Thanks to the huge success of the North East LEP’s role in delivering the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot, Ryan Gibson – National Facilitator for the Career Benchmarks Pilot at North East LEP – has been invited to speak at a number of regional and national events in November to share some of our key learnings from the project.

The North East LEP region is the first in the country to pilot the National Career Benchmarks – developed in partnership with the Gatsby Foundation – that Government is expected to announce will form part of new statutory guidance for schools in delivering careers advice.

Sixteen schools and colleges in the North East LEP area are currently taking part in the national pilot, which comprises of two years’ intensive careers activity with schools, colleges and local businesses as well as four years of data collection, gathered and analysed by an independent evaluator.

Ryan will be speaking at the following events in November 2016:

National Careers Education Summit in London
3 November

Ryan will be joining Sir John Holman, who first developed the National Career Benchmarks in partnership with the The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, to deliver the event’s keynote address.

Bridging the gap between education and employment event in Newcastle
4 November

Ryan will be sharing his experience of how the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot as created a framework for high quality engagement between business and education.

SEN Careers Conference in Reading
9 November

As special guest of the event, Ryan will reinforce that the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot has been transformative for schools, colleges, businesses and young people.

National Conference for Careers Leaders and Advisers in York
10 & 11 November

Speaking at the event on Thursday 10 November, Ryan will be discussing the positive impact of the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot on schools and colleges.

LMI Event in Durham (with the National Careers Service)
17 November

The wider North East LEP skills team will be speaking at this event to share details on the refresh of the North East LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan as well as the ongoing success and impact of the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot.

Practice sharing event with the Edge Foundation
22nd November

The 16 schools and colleges taking part in the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot will be joined by schools from Nottingham, Knowsley, Crewe and London to share good practice at this event delivered in partnership with the Edge Foundation.

Northern Independent Schools Network Meeting for Heads of 6th and Careers Leads
23 November

Ryan will be delivering a workshop about the National Career Benchmarks with a focus on the North East LEP’s role in delivering the successful pilot.

Department for Education visit
29 November

Members of the Careers team at the Department for Education will visit some of the North East LEP’s pilot schools as part of a visit to see, first hand, the success of the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot in the North East LEP area.

Home / Skills / Page 21

Join us for a workshop to help businesses embrace digital technology

Delivering faster and more profitable growth is brought to you by BT in association with Uber and the SME Centre of Excellence.

The fun, fast paced and highly practical workshop is designed to provoke thought, get your creative juices flowing and introduce you to practical tools and techniques that can help you to deliver faster and more profitable growth. It’s part of our Growth through Digital Technology programme; helping North East businesses grow their business using digital technology.

Speakers include Mike Jones, an entrepreneur with a number of small businesses, formerly founding MD of BT Local Business, a BT division serving over one million SME customers; and Senior Operations Manager at Uber UK, Gemma Bloemen.
Ammar Mirza, from the Centre for SME Excellence, will facilitate a workshop using a range of practical tools and techniques that will allow you to work with other delegates to explore how you can use digital technology to deliver higher revenue and profit growth.

Register now

The event will help you be able to:

  • Develop new ideas on how digital tech can give you a competitive advantage
  • Identify new ways of capturing revenue and growing sales
  • Identify ways of delivering a better customer experience, without adding cost and complexity
  • Develop ideas on how you can make your people more efficient and productive
  • Learn about the finance and support available to support implementation.

Businesses that meet the following criteria are invited to attend:

  • Based in the North East LEP area (Sunderland, Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Northumberland)
  • Minimum of 5 employees
  • Current turnover at least £500k per annum

Register now

For more information contact [email protected]

Home / Skills / Page 21

£2m Port of Blyth Training Centre opens

The Duchess of Northumberland has opened the latest phase of a wide ranging development at the Port of Blyth dedicated to the provision of education, training and opportunities.

Once famous for coal, the port is now a leading offshore energy base in the North East and has this week opened the doors to a £2m training centre designed to prepare the UK port services, offshore and renewable energy workforces of the future.

The second phase of a development known as the Blyth Education and Community Hub (BEACH) sees the Port partner with award winning training provider Port Training Services, Newcastle University, Northumberland College and other regional partners.

Whilst the development offers Newcastle University students the use of state-of-the-art research facilities including the Emerson Cavitation Tunnel Laboratory, the centre will also host landmark renewable energy related training courses from Northumberland College – some of the only course of their type available in the UK.

Port of Blyth’s training subsidiary Port Training Services is to develop its offering of NVQ’s and plant training, while enhancing its delivery of apprenticeships and community engagement through a thriving schools partnership and an innovative tie in with the Blyth Tall Ship charity, who deliver training and create opportunities for local young people not in education or employment.

Whilst all partners in the project have committed notable funds to the development, this latest phase of the hub has attracted significant funding from the Coastal Communities Fund, North East LEP and Sport England.

Martin Lawlor, Chief Executive of Port of Blyth, said: “We’re delighted that the Duchess of Northumberland was able to join us again – having opened phase one of this development – to launch a second phase that will offer the people of Blyth, South East Northumberland and beyond significant opportunities for training, education and ultimately employment”.

Phase one of the Blyth Education and Community Hub, which opened in 2014, delivered a maritime heritage centre, an Engineering and Marine Science base for Newcastle University as well as a new facility for the training and community outreach charity Blyth Tall Ship and striking home for the Blyth Boathouse restaurant. Investment in phases 1 and 2 totals £3.5m.

Part of the project’s funding – £400,000 – was from the North East LEP as part of the North East Growth Deal from Government. The Local Growth Fund supports major capital investments to promote innovation, economic and skills infrastructure and sustainable transport across the North East LEP area.

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Milestone for land-based education in the North East

The first major development work at East Durham College’s Houghall Campus since it opened in 1938 is now complete.

The £12.75 million redevelopment received £10m from the North East LEP as part of the North East Growth Deal from Government. The Local Growth Fund is supporting major capital investments to promote innovation, economic and skills infrastructure and sustainable transport across the North East LEP area.

As well as an extensive and challenging refurbishment of the main entrance front building, which was built in 1937/8, the completion of the project saw a number of stunning new facilities open September 2016; including a brand-new small animal care centre, agricultural centre, equine centre, brand new science labs and IT suites, and new enhanced access and parking facilities.

The purpose-built Small Animal Care Centre houses a range of small mammals, birds, reptiles and aquatics – as well as a new commercial dog grooming salon and 22-bay dog kennel unit, complete with dog agility and dog walking areas.

The stunning new Houghall Equine Centre boasts a 28-stable block accommodation, training workshops, tack room, automatic horse-walker and an international-standard 40m x 40m indoor arena to complement an existing 60m x 40m all-weather ménage, cross-country trail, schooling field and 20-acre paddock.

The new Agricultural Centre includes a pig unit and cattle unit with forage store to supplement the existing sheep unit down at the farm site.

Each new and refurbished building also boasts additional classroom/workshop space, staff and student changing facilities and welfare support areas.

Suzanne Duncan, Principal at East Durham College, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time in the history of the Houghall campus.

“Completion of our first major development work on the campus since it opened in 1938 is a huge boost to the facilities we can now offer students. These will significantly improve the learning and teaching facilities at Houghall and provide a learning environment fit for the 21st century and beyond.

“This is a real milestone for land-based education in the north east.”

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Education Minister visits North East as region leads careers education pilot

The Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Minister of State at the Department for Education, will visit Churchill Community College in North Tyneside today (Monday 26 September) to see how an innovative careers education programme delivered by the North East LEP, in partnership with The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, is helping young people in the region make better and more informed decisions about their future careers.

Churchill Community College in Wallsend, North Tyneside, is one of 16 schools and colleges in the North East LEP area currently piloting the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks – eight clearly defined benchmarks for good career guidance that improve students’ transition from school to work or further study. The North East LEP region is the first in the country to test the Benchmarks.

During his visit to Churchill Community College, the Minister will meet with staff, students and local businesses to hear first hand how the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks are improving careers education in the North East. Sarah Glendinning, regional director of the CBI, will also be in attendance to emphasise the support the wider North East business community has given the pilot.

Ryan Gibson, National Facilitator for the Career Benchmarks Pilot at the North East LEP, said: “We’re delighted that the Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP has chosen to visit one of the schools enrolled in the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot as part of his visit to the North East.

“The programme has been transformational in terms of improving students’ access to careers education and helping them develop the skills employers need. The initiatives the North East LEP has developed as part of the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot have improved collaboration between the business community and the education sector, as well as provide teaching staff with workplace training and personal development opportunities to better equip them with the knowledge and skills to provide effective careers advice to students.”

Skills and Apprenticeships Minister Robert Halfon said: “Good careers advice is vital in helping young people make informed decisions and climb the ladder of opportunity to fulfilling jobs.

“I look forward to visiting more schools and colleges that have successfully improved careers education and guidance.”

Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of York, senior education adviser and former headteacher, Sir John Holman, developed the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks after being commissioned by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation to map out what good career guidance should look like in the UK.

He identified eight benchmarks that would deliver good careers guidance. They are:

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of work places
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

Sir John Holman said: “The North East has a very cohesive schooling community, with excellent networks, and is therefore an excellent region in which to run the pilot.

“I have been delighted with the results to date. It has been heartening to see how the benchmarks can be applied within the school and college environment. The positive impact has been demonstrated early on and the passion of professionals in the North East has been key to the pilot’s success.”

The North East LEP has been working with 16 schools and colleges across the LEP area to implement the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot and measure their impact and success.

Marie Jobson, Head of SF and Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Lead at Churchill Community College took part in five, one-day placements at some of region’s leading STEM employers to improve the quality of careers advice she could offer her students.

Marie said: “Careers Information Advice and Guidance and the principles behind the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks are at the heart of what we do at Churchill Community College. In working towards the benchmarks we support our students to better understand the world of work as well as the opportunities and challenges they will face in their future.

“Working with the North East LEP on the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot has allowed us to build a comprehensive Careers Information Advice and Guidance programme for our students. It is transparent, robust and allows for self and external evaluation of our provision.”

Some of the successful initiatives developed by the North East LEP as part of the Gatsby Career Guidance Benchmarks pilot include The Enterprise Advisor Programme, which sees business leaders embedded into secondary schools on a voluntary basis to help teachers shape the delivery of careers education.

The North East LEP has also played a vital role in bringing businesses and the education sector together to ensure a joined up approach that meets the needs of both students and employers.

Funding secured through the Innovation and Activity Fund has supported pilot schools and colleges in developing innovative ideas around careers education and a workplace training and development programme for staff is already showing positive results.

The Government is currently considering a new statutory guidance that could include the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks.

Home / Skills / Page 21

Give your feedback on the region’s skills gap challenges

Taking the time to listen to residents, businesses and investors about shaping future strategy is as relevant today in our frenetic 24-hour world as it ever was.

The North East LEP is doing just that, refreshing the region’s Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), to make sure its focus and goals are attuned to the needs of business in a changing political and economic landscape.

Over the next few weeks, we are inviting companies to have their say on issues they may face in recruiting and retaining the right people with the right skills to do the job they require.

It’s the opportunity for firms across many different sectors to input into the regional skills agenda.

This in turn will help the North East LEP work with training providers to ensure they have the latest information to supply the vocational courses to provide the skilled employees companies need to thrive and grow.

Attracting and keeping workers with the skills to do the job required is an issue that is never far from the forefront of most employers’ minds.

That’s why we’ve put together a ten-minute survey to get employer feedback on the skills gap challenges.

It’s designed to take up as little time as possible to complete. But the information it provides will be invaluable. You can access the survey here.

We’re asking employers where the biggest gaps are within the local workforce, about specific posts they routinely struggle to fill and if the training they need to upskill workers is available in the North East.

We’re looking for data to give us a more detailed picture on the pressures facing all industries – with a particular focus on the region’s ‘smart spec’ areas of subsea/offshore, creative/digital, health and life sciences, automotive and advanced manufacturing, which house world class growth and potential.

The SEP refresh is demonstrating that our region has had a lot of success around level three and four skilled workers, around apprenticeships and higher level apprenticeships.

The rest of the country looks to the North East for transformational change in the skills arena – such as the success of the Gatsby schools benchmarking programme and enterprise advisors pilot embedding business leaders into schools’ skills delivery.

We still though have unique challenges in the North East which require unique solutions. We want to be in a position to have the evidence to help inform future Government policy to ensure the system works for all regional business.

There is still an issue with the skills mix. We have some sectors where there are jobs which need to be urgently filled and some areas where there is oversupply.

The skills debate is now far more sophisticated and we need to identify the gaps in specific sectors to better understand the issues companies face.

The reality is that not every business is feeling the benefit of skills provision. That’s why we need this survey to get much more detailed data on the ground.

For instance, we are starting to see the construction industry coming out of recession but they are suffering from a lack of skilled tradespeople like joiners and bricklayers.

We will feed the survey findings to our college and training provider partners to help them ensure that their delivery plans are producing the courses employers need to target students into the right areas to meet employer demand.

Complete the survey online to have your say on the region’s skills gap challenges.

Andrew Hodgson,

North East LEP Chair.

Home / Skills / Page 21

Ian engineers himself a new career path

A former SSI engineer has launched a new business in Sunderland with the help of the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC).

Following a 30 year career in the steel industry, Ian Baillie has taken his occupation in a whole new direction completing garden overhauls, maintenance and small domestic repairs.

After being made redundant from the Redcar plant last year and consequently facing unemployment, Ian launched Maintenance Magic in February with the support of the SSI Task Force Business Advice Start Up Fund.

The SSI Task Force Business Advice Start Up Fund offers former SSI workers advice on starting their own business, plus a grant scheme that can provide start-up assistance of up to £10,000.

Ian was referred to the BIC, one of the partners delivering support on behalf of the Business Advice Start Up Fund. He was assigned business adviser Margaret Cook who helped him put his ideas on paper and create a business plan. Ian explains:
“I have always been a keen gardener and enjoy being outdoors. I love the flexibility self-employment allows me and the fact I make all of my own decisions. In time I would like to add to the services I offer such as lawn care services and spraying.”

Ian was also successful in his application for the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme, a national Government initiative which aims to help those in receipt of benefits to start a new business.

He adds: “Margaret was brilliant. She simplified the process and ensured my plan met the standards to apply for the NEA. A business plan is key for a business just starting out. I would recommend anyone starting a business to visit the BIC.”

Amanda Skelton, chair of the SSI Task Force and chief executive of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said: “I would like to wish Ian the very best of luck with his new venture. Around 150 new businesses have been started so far and the message I want to get across to former SSI workers and those in the supply chain is that the funding is still there to help you. I have seen some really innovative ideas turned into successful businesses, which is great news.”

BIC business support manager Shirley Hermiston added: “Being faced with redundancy is a difficult time for all involved and many take the opportunity to follow their dreams and start a business.

“I am delighted that Ian has overcome such a challenging time and has found self-employment as a means to do what he enjoys. I would like to wish him the very best with his venture.

“Whatever your reasons are for starting a business our business advisers are here to help.”

The BIC offers free one to one expert advice to help get your business off the ground. Contact 0191 516 6149 to arrange an appointment.

For information on Maintenance Magic contact www.maintenancemagic.co.uk

ENDS

Media Contact:
Joanne Sinclair 0191 516 6107
[email protected]

Home / Skills / Page 21

Hands-on training accelerates career opportunities for Nissan apprentice

A former A level student is urging young people to consider apprenticeships as way of realising their career ambitions after finding his own success through the hands-on training route.

Nissan apprentice, Stephen McCarron, 20, from Wallsend, has shown that despite widespread perceptions that apprenticeships are less valuable than a degree, they are in fact a great way to fast-track your way into a highly skilled job.

Stephen started a five-year apprenticeship in September last year after completing A levels at Burnside Business & Enterprise College and then deciding the academic route at university to become an engineer wasn’t for him.

He is now working his way through a course that is helping him to fine tune his skills in everything from electrical installation, electronics and circuits and mechanical work to welding and computer aided design (CAD). All while earning a wage and taking the opportunity to develop softer employability skills to help him make the move from education into the workplace.

Stephen, who is completing the course at Gateshead College’s Skills Academy for Automotive, Engineering, Manufacturing and Logistics at Team Valley in Gateshead, said: “I’ve always wanted to train as an engineer and after gaining good grades at A level, thought that university was the only option for me. I soon decided that the academic route was too focused on theory and that I’d like to work more on my practical skills.

“Taking up the apprenticeship is the best career move I could have made. I’ve progressed far quicker than I would have doing a degree and an added bonus is I’m earning a wage while doing it.”

Judith Doyle, principal and chief executive at Gateshead College added: “Moving on to university after studying A levels is not for everyone and some people are more suited to learning in the workplace rather than spending the majority of their time reading textbooks. That’s why it’s vital to provide young people with clear, impartial and valuable career advice to help them pick the right career path.

“While university can be a valuable experience for some, we want to put the message out there that there are some fantastic apprenticeship opportunities open to those who want to fulfil their career ambitions. It’s not just academic learning that can get you higher level qualifications or help you to secure a highly skilled, prestigious job. Apprenticeships allow you to earn a wage while getting that all important work experience under your belt as well as highly desirable qualifications.”

Gateshead College’s careers advisors provide friendly, impartial and expert advice on which learning path is right for you. For more information, call call 0191 490 2245 or visit gateshead.ac.uk