Tag Archives: employment

Kyle and Emily go wild at Wetlands Centre with bursary win

Two budding David Attenboroughs from Newcastle College are spending their summer in scientific exploration at Washington Wetlands Centre after winning prestigious bursaries.

Students Emily O’Regan, 17, from Gateshead and Kyle Miller, 17, from Blyth, each won a Nuffield Foundation bursary to fund summer placements enabling them to investigate an area of science of their choice.

Emily plans to study a rare breed of Chilean Flamingos at the centre to help identify why they have failed to produce chicks for a number of years.

Emily said: “I am really interested in animals and conservation and a lot of work carried out at Washington Wetlands Centre is with rare or endangered species of birds, so I’m delighted to be able to do my placement here and to be able to contribute to larger research projects currently being undertaken at other centres across the country.

“The experiences I’m getting here while I’m still a student are giving me a real taste of what’s to come in my future career, possibly in ecology or conservation.”

Emily, a former Thomas Hepburn Community School pupil, has just completed AS levels in Biology, Chemistry, Geography and Environmental Science at Newcastle College.

Kyle, a former Blyth Community College student, will be spending his time at the centre researching animal behaviour particularly focusing on otters.

Kyle said: “I wanted to do this particular placement because I want to take every opportunity I can to help me to get my dream career in conservation or Zoology. The reason I chose otters is because they are fascinating creatures, but they are also in decline so this may be my only opportunity to research them.”

After finishing A Levels in Biology, Chemistry, Geography and Environmental Studies at Newcastle College, Kyle plans to go to university to study Zoology or Natural Sciences.

Newcastle College students Aimee Lammonby, 17 from Newcastleand Samuel Thompson, 16, from Gateshead also received bursaries from the Nuffield Foundation to carry out their placements at Newcastle University.

Steve Gibson Director, Newcastle Sixth Form College, said: “At Newcastle College we help our 16-18 year old students gain as much work based experience as they can throughout the duration of their course. This kind of hands-on experience gives the students an insight into their chosen career and can be an invaluable stepping stone into higher education training or employment.”

Newcastle College STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Outreach, which helps schools access STEM enhancement and enrichment opportunities, is the regional organiser for Nuffield Foundation Bursaries in the North East.

Nuffield Bursaries offer aspiring young scientists the opportunity to explore their chosen field of science, technology, engineering or maths during a four- six week long summer placement. Placements are offered by leading local and national businesses, scientific industrial research institutes and universities.

Students are expected to work on well defined projects which contribute in a real way toward the work of their host organisation.

Newcastle College offers a wide range of free courses for 16-18 year-olds including A Level, Baccalaureate and a number of vocational subjects.

In spring/summer 2013, the college will open its new sixth form building – the first specialist facility in Newcastle dedicated to enhancing the education of 16-19 year-olds from across the region.

Apprenticeship helps tee off new career for Christopher

Northumberland Golf Club has helped a Cullercoats man tee off a new career by recruiting him as an apprentice Greenkeeper.

The club’s Greenkeeper recently retired leaving manager, Paul O’Connor looking to recruit a replacement. Paul decided that appointing an apprentice could help create a job for someone starting out on a horticulture career and so turned to Newcastle College for help in finding someone.

Paul said: “A Greenkeeper is not the most common of occupations so I thought finding a replacement might be quite difficult. I was also keen to have the opportunity to train someone to do the job in a really specific way.  Maintaining the high standard of the course is essential to the club’s reputation, so the additional training element that Apprenticeships offer made going down this recruitment route a good option for us.”

The course situated close to Newcastle Racecourse, is a Regional Open Qualifying course from 2013.

Paul added: “I contacted Newcastle College’s free apprentice recruitment and matching service and they sent me Christopher’s details. Being recommended someone who was really interested in both the horticultural and golf aspects was invaluable and made the recruitment processes so much easier.”

Christopher, 20 was keen to secure an Apprenticeship with the club which would enable him to combine his interests in a job which also enabled him to gain a recognised qualification.

Christopher, who was also a student at Newcastle College prior to his Apprenticeship, said: “It really is my ideal job. I love everything about it. I get to work at the golf course and learn from an experienced team as well as going to college to enhance the training I receive from Paul.

“My goal when I complete the Apprenticeship is to get a full time job. I think having this kind of specialist on the job training and qualification behind me can only help me to achieve that.”

Jim Hubbard, Director of the School of Applied Science and Technology said: “More and more organisations are choosing Apprenticeships as a way of developing employees with specialist skills.

“Christopher already had a keen interest in horticulture but needed an opportunity to gain experience and training to help him achieve his career ambitions. Through the Apprenticeship Scheme he has found his dream job and is developing valuable skills which are essential to his employment.”

As one of the region’s leading apprenticeship providers, Newcastle College is proud to support the 100 Days of Apprentices Challenge.

For more information about apprenticeships or the free recruitment and matching service available at Newcastle College, visit www.newcastlecollege.co.uk or contact 0845 600 4140.

Nature’s Landscapes helps horticulture apprentice Dale grow in confidence

Newcastle City Council’s Nature’s Landscapes, which provides supported employment for local adults with learning and physical disabilities, has helped a horticulture apprentice grow in confidence and sow the seeds for his next career move.

Nature’s Landscapes is run by Newcastle City Council’s Adult and Culture Services Directorate, and provides a grounds maintenance and landscaping service for the local authority and other organisations.

Alan Wear, Nature’s Landscapes Manager, recruited 21-year-old Dale Connell, and enrolled him as a Horticulture apprentice with the help of Newcastle College’s free recruitment and matching service. He has since then seen him gain a variety of new skills and a renewed sense of self-belief.

Alan said: “When Dale came to work with us his self esteem and confidence were quite low, but the change in him during his time with us has been remarkable.

“This is the second time we have hired an apprentice, and there have been many benefits for both Dale and ourselves. The Apprenticeship programme has helped Dale gain new skills and has supported him through the process of attending college. He has learnt much that will enhance his chances of going on to gain unsupported employment.”

Dale, who is a former Ryton Comprehensive pupil, has a number of disabilities including Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and mild Cerebral Palsy.

Before joining Nature’s Landscapes, Dale was unemployed, and felt his future employment prospects were low. Through Nature’s Landscapes he found out about the possibility of a Horticulture Apprenticeship with Newcastle College.

Dale said: “I decided I wanted to do an Apprenticeship instead of some other training or job as I thought it would help my job prospects, both now and in the future. What I have liked about my Apprenticeship is that I haven’t just been supported while at work but also through training at Newcastle College.”

Dale’s Apprenticeship involved him spending one day a week at the college and spending the other four with his employer carrying out various gardening duties.

Dale has now completed his Apprenticeship and is hoping to move into unsupported employment as a landscaper or gardener and gain greater experience which can help take his career even further.

Jim Hubbard, Director of the School of Applied Science and Technology said: “The college has well established partnerships with a number of community organisations which offers support and opportunities for those with disabilities.

“Dale has been an exemplary apprentice and it is satisfying to see how the Apprenticeship programme has provided a framework to offer him additional help to progress into unsupported employment in the future.”

Nature’s Landscapes is supported through the Government’s Work Choice scheme which helps people with disabilities to secure employment. The scheme provides support officers for participants and advice for employers.

If you are considering an Apprenticeship as a future career route then call Newcastle College on 0191 200 4000, or to view current Apprenticeship job vacancies visit: http://www.newcastlecollege.co.uk/apprenticeships.

Magnificent seven celebrate 100 per cent job success

Seven jobseekers are nurturing new careers in the care sector after undertaking an employability programme at Newcastle College which offered them a guaranteed job interview at the end of the course.

Teresa Carty, 39, from Benwell; Dawn Smith, 45, from Walker; Florence Little, 34, from Kenton; Kathleen Brown, 40, from Heaton; Lucy Shields, 26, from Gateshead; Julia Archer, 33, from Gateshead and Susan Slasor, 42, from Walker were all offered jobs as domiciliary or support carers with leading heath and social care provider, Care UK in the final week of their course.

The five-week employability skills course they completed is designed to provide jobseekers with the necessary skills to work in a range of vocational professions including healthcare and to offer them guaranteed interviews with companies with current vacancies upon completion.

The women all came to the college for different reasons, but with the same goal of developing a new career in the healthcare sector.

For Florence Little, her new job at Care UK is exactly what she has been hoping to find.

“I’ve been a full time mam and carer, but now my kids are a little older, I wanted to see if I could get a job working as a paid carer. This was something I always knew I wanted to do so I was really pleased when I got a place on the course.

“I still can’t quite believe that it’s just taken a five week course to enable me to get the job I really wanted.”

Lucy Shields was in a similar position to Florence when she signed up for the pre-employment healthcare course.

Lucy said: “I had my children quite young, so once they were at school it felt like it was the right time for me to do what I wanted to do. My mother was a carer so I knew a bit about the job from her and I thought it would be something that I would enjoy and be good at.”

Dawn Smith was motivated to take the course because she decided she would like a change of career after being made redundant from a sales job working on a sweet stall in a local market.  She hoped by taking the pre-employment healthcare course that she would be well equipped for working in a new industry.

Dawn said: “When you lose your job it feels like the world stops. I never realised how much support was actually available to people in my situation. I was not only helped into a new job, but into a new career, which could open many new and exciting doors for me in the future.”

Barbara King, Director of the School of Health and Enterprise, said: “We are delighted with the success of the course. To see the learners achieve and go on into employment is very satisfying and proof that you can develop a new career by working with the team at Newcastle College.

“It’s gratifying to think that we can help people especially like Florence and Lucy gain the skills and the confidence to find paid work for the very first time, or to help others embark on a different career. I wish all seven women the very best of luck in their new jobs.”

Alex Botsaris, Care UK’s Regional Resourcing Lead for North East & Yorkshire, said: “We have worked in conjunction with Newcastle College for some time now and are really pleased that this partnership is helping us find employees with just the right kind of skills to offer our clients high quality healthcare.”

Pre-employment healthcare courses run at Newcastle College for 15 hours a week, Monday to Wednesday, between 10am and 3pm. For more information call 0191 200 4000.

Anyone who would like to know more about Care UK’s services in the Newcastle area should visit www.careuk.com.

Newcastle College named as north east hub for Peter Jones Enterprise Academy

Newcastle College has been chosen as a north east hub for the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy.

The college, which is one the largest and most successful providers of FE and HE in the UK, will join the Enterprise Academies Network providing opportunities for 16-19 year olds who wish to specialise in enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Newcastle College will be a centre of excellence in the region for the teaching of enterprise and entrepreneurship to young people. It will also have access to a range of guest speakers, master-classes and workshops supported by the academies many high profile partner organisations.

Newcastle College was chosen as a north east hub after demonstrating its commitment to supporting and developing young entrepreneurs. The college is embedding enterprise into the curriculum across the college and supporting students through a range of local partnership projects. In the last couple of months alone, the college has offered students the opportunity to make their business ideas a reality through an enterprise challenge in partnership with local entrepreneur, Roy Stanley and the Business & Enterprise Group. Students at the college have also been invited to apply for a place on a new 12 week enterprise master-class with business specialist and former Chairman of Leeds Football Club, Gerald Krasner.

The college has had links with the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy in the past. Newcastle Sixth Form College student, Grant Ridley was awarded a place at the Academy in 2010 and went on to win the Academy’s National Entrepreneur of the Year Award a year later.

The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (formally the National Enterprise Academy) was founded by entrepreneur and star of Dragon’s Den, Peter Jones CBE, with a view to encouraging more entrepreneurial activity within the UK, based on a philosophy of ‘learning by doing’.

Starting in September 2009, the Enterprise Academy set out to be a catalyst for cultural change by bringing the boardroom into the classroom. The academy aims to equip future generations of entrepreneurs with the skills and mindset to run their own businesses thereby supporting the future of the British economy.

Robin Ghurbhurun, Deputy Principal at Newcastle College, said: “To be named as a north east hub for the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy is a massive coup and testament to our commitment to develop and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Newcastle College is committed to embedding enterprise across the curriculum to support and empower young people to be entrepreneurial and develop their own business ideas. Small businesses and start-ups make a huge contribution to our economy, creating jobs, growth and investment. 

Newcastle College shares the academy’s ethos of learning by doing and we hope this partnership will inspire and support many more people to develop their skills and ideas into sustainable enterprises.”

Peter Jones CBE, founder of the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, said: “With record levels of youth unemployment, I believe it is a priority to inspire more young people across Britain to consider a different career path – an entrepreneurial one. 

“Our growing Academy network aims to equip young people with the skills, confidence and experience to unleash the entrepreneur in them.

“I would like to welcome the 18 new colleges to our Academy network – through them we can reach out to more young people in the UK and prepare them for an entrepreneurial future.”

Newcastle College Jobs Fair offers thousands of opportunities for local people

Newcastle College hosted its first jobs fair on Tuesday 7 January bringing together over 5,000 jobseekers and a range of north east businesses actively looking to recruit to fill current vacancies.

The event, held at St James’ Park in conjunction with Job Centre Plus, was designed to help tackle the growing issue of regional unemployment and provide opportunities for local people to access guaranteed job vacancies, apprenticeship opportunities and training.

Jobseekers were given the opportunity to meet representatives from businesses, such as Orange, BT, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel, the new Hotel Indigo Newcastle featuring celebrity Chef Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar and Grill, JD Wetherspoon, Balfour Beatty, British Engines Ltd and Rolls Royce.

The college’s Employment Gateway team were also on hand to offer support and advice as well as information about a number of employability courses, designed to provide employer focussed training and skills to those looking for work.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Newcastle College also held a breakfast seminar focussing on the value of apprenticeships and how they can be good for business. Employers across a range of industry sectors discussed the significant business benefits of apprenticeships and were given information about the college’s new apprenticeship campaign, The Power of One.

Newcastle College Deputy Principal, Robin Ghurbhurun said: “The Newcastle College Jobs Fair was very much a partnership event which demonstrated the wealth of opportunities available to local people despite the current economic downturn.

“The North East is still very much open for business. All employers involved in the event had a number of vacancies and apprenticeship opportunities that they were seeking to fill and the response from the public was phenomenal. It is reassuring to see that employers are still committed to investment and growth for the benefit of local people and the economy and I would like to thank everyone involved for their support. We must now build on this success and continue to support our local communities through employment, training and enterprise.”

Modern apprentice learns traditional leatherwork

Much like an apprentice from a bygone era, a nineteen-year-old from Northumberland is learning the ancient art of leatherwork as part of a twenty first century apprenticeship scheme.

Nineteen-year-old Rob Ford from Allendale is being taught the traditional art of English leather work by craftsman Andy Bates who has been making bespoke, hand-stitched leather goods, sculptures and historical reconstructions for almost thirty years from his workshop in Hexham.

Back in 2010 Rob began helping out Andy on a voluntary basis, picking up a few simple skills along the way. But as time went on Andy, who has taught the craft for many years, decided to offer Rob a formal apprenticeship to fully learn the trade within his business.

Andy approached Newcastle College to support him in his aspiration to deliver an apprenticeship in leather goods from his Hexham workshop.  The college investigated the possibility of delivering the specialist apprenticeship through Sector Skills Council, Skillset, and awarding body, ABC.  

With help from Paul Skelton, manager of the College’s School of Creative Industries 3D section, Andy is now ready to progress Rob’s apprenticeship formally through Newcastle College. He is now also actively seeking to access government funding to help him support the creation of more apprenticeships within his businesses in the future and ensure that the business is preserved for generations to come.

Andy said: “My aim is to preserve traditional craft skills and to apply them in contemporary settings. By doing this and by passing on these skills, the craft of working with leather is kept alive and I am able to help people, whatever their age, to gain employment.

“Rob has already begun to pass on to others some of what he has learned. My dream of seeing my craft transmitted down the generations has begun to be realised. I have seen the value of teaching craft skills to people of all ages, from children to pensioners. It increases their sense of worth immeasurably and can draw out of them manual and intellectual abilities they had no idea they possessed. It is my desire to be able to do this for as many people as I can and it’s my intention that as my business continues to expand, I will be able to take on more apprentices and train them to the exacting standards required to create beautiful objects in leather for customers around the world.”

With guidance from Andy, Rob will be helping create a range of modern day accessories from bags and briefcases alongside reconstructions of historical artefacts, and art pieces.

Rob said: “I never thought when I started visiting Andy in his workshop that this would suddenly lead to a career and to me gaining new qualifications. People think it’s unusual that as a young man I am interested in learning a traditional craft, but it’s creative and challenging which makes it interesting.

“It’s not your average job; no two days are the same. And it really does feel like I am helping preserve a craft that could easily disappear in a world of mass commercialisation.”

Over the past twenty eight years Andy, 47, has fulfilled innumerable commissions, including ones as prestigious as those for the Turner Prize-winning potter, Grayson Perry. He has exhibited pieces in Durham Art Gallery and the Balman Gallery in Corbridge. He also recently received a nomination for the Heritage Craft Trainer of Year Award.

Geoff O’Neil, Senior Manager in the School of Creative Industries at Newcastle College who is working with Andy to get the leather goods pathway of the Fashion and Textiles Apprenticeship under way said: “We offer a wide range of apprenticeships at Newcastle College, but this is certainly one of the more niche areas that we deliver.

“Many of our students in the School of Creative Industries aspire to set up their own business or work alongside experienced artists and craftsmen to really learn their trade. Developing and honing this skill and business acumen is crucial to the future of our creative industries and the many opportunities it offers to young people just like Rob.”

Newcastle College ranked best college in England awarded unique hat-trick

Newcastle College has been ranked as the best performing general FE college in England for 16-18 year old achievement for the third year running.

The college, one of the largest in the UK, was again named as the highest achieving general further education college in the Department for Education league tables.

The tables confirmed that Newcastle College achieved the highest average point score per student of all General Further Education Colleges nationally. The college also scored higher than any state school in the Newcastle area cementing its position as one of the region’s and nation’s top education providers.

The league table measured achievement in full time 16-18 provision at level 3, which includes A levels, National Diplomas and the International Baccalaureate.

Newcastle College, based at its Rye Hill campus in Newcastle city centre, is graded outstanding by Ofsted and is a LSIS Beacon Award college.  Part of NCG, the college has started building work for a new state-of-the-art sixth form centre opening in 2013, the first dedicated Sixth Form College in the city.

Newcastle College also received national praise for its financial aid which it created in response to the Government’s withdrawal of the Education maintenance Award (EMA). This provides £1200 support to young people from low-income households enabling them to study.

Bev Robinson, Principal of Newcastle College, said: “We are delighted to have been ranked top of the DfE league tables for the third successive year.  This achievement demonstrates the outstanding teaching and learning we have at Newcastle College. Our dedicated staff work with our students to help them reach their full potential and they are given every opportunity to progress into higher education, training or employment”.

NCG recently announced £60m of investment in the north east over the next four years, including the new sixth form centre at Newcastle College.

For more information on the range of courses available visit www.newcastlecollege.co.uk or call 0191 2004000.

Childcare Apprentice Michaela goes back to school to work

 

Going back to school has helped one local teenager find the job of her dreams as a childcare apprentice.

Michaela Ovington, 19, from South Shields, has joined St Albans Roman Catholic Primary School, in Walker, as a new apprentice within the Children and Young People’s Workforce, thanks to help from Newcastle College.

The school decided it wanted a childcare apprentice to join the staff and approached Newcastle College’s Health and Social Care team for free help in finding the perfect recruit that best suited their needs. Michaela was chosen as the ideal candidate from a number of applicants who were identified as good matches for what the school was looking for.

Head teacher Mike Donnelly, said: “We always look for something special in our staff and Michaela has just that. The children are really responding to her enthusiasm and attention.

“I think that the College’s matching service really benefited us because we were able to be really specific about what our ideal candidate needed to be able to demonstrate, and the team really did help us find just the person wanted in Michaela.

“It was the first time we had considered going down this route in our recruitment, but we have been so pleased that we have already recommended the matching service to another school in Fenham who are also looking to recruit.”

The childcare apprenticeship, available through Newcastle College, can be adapted to support individual business requirements and can be a cost effective way for some organisations to create more local jobs in a tough economic climate.

Michaela’s new job covers a broad range of tasks including everything from setting up planned activities with the children, to assessing health and safety requirements and helping during lunchtimes.

Michaela, said: “I’ve always loved children and hoped that I could work with them one day. I feel so lucky that I’ve been able to get this apprenticeship.”

Barbara King, Director of the School of Health and Enterprise, said:” St Albans is one of many local organisations who have come to us recently looking for apprentices for the first time. However, we are also getting many more approaches from those who are considering becoming apprentices. For both employers and employees alike apprenticeships are becoming a useful and flexible training and employment tool.”

For more information about the free recruitment service and to speak to a member of the Business Contact team or for more information about apprenticeships available at Newcastle College, visit www.newcastlecollege.co.uk or contact 0845 600 4140.

Newcastle College helps tackle regional unemployment with city jobs fair

Newcastle College is helping to tackle the region’s rising unemployment by hosting its first jobs fair in partnership with Job Centre Plus and many of the region’s major employers.

The event, sponsored by Avanta, City and Guilds and Next Steps, will be held on Tuesday 7 February between 12-4pm at St James’ Park, and will bring together a range of North East businesses all of whom are actively looking to recruit to fill current vacancies.

Jobseekers will have the opportunity to meet representatives from businesses, such as Orange, BT, Hilton Newcastle Gateshead Hotel, the new Hotel Indigo Newcastle featuring celebrity chef Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar and Grill, JD Wetherspoon, Balfour BeattyBritish Engines Ltd and Rolls Royce.

St James’ Park will also be recruiting for 400 London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games volunteer positions for when the stadium hosts nine matches, including a quarter-final in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Visitors the Jobs Fair will also be able to access advice and support from the college’s Employment Gateway.

Latest figures show that 153,000 people are currently unemployed in the region equating to nearly one in eight of the local population without work.

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, Newcastle College will also provide information about the range of apprenticeship opportunities available to individuals and businesses. As one of the region’s leading apprenticeship providers, the college works with a range of employers and has a number of live vacancies as well as a free matching service. Local businesses have already been encouraged to consider the many business benefits of taking on just one apprentice through the college’s new campaign, The Power of One

Newcastle College Deputy Principal, Robin Ghurbhurun said: “Latest unemployment figures show that nearly one in eight people in the region are now out of work. We need to act now to address this issue and provide those looking for work with every opportunity available. Newcastle College’s first jobs fair brings employers and partner organisations together under one roof. We believe that this approach gives individuals the best chance of finding a job; be it through helping them search for a suitable vacancy, relevant training or support to enhance their CV and interview techniques.”

For more information on the Newcastle College Jobs Fair visit www.newcastlecollege.co.uk/getajob.