Zodiac Training, the largest private training provider in the North-East, and The Customs House, the theatre, cinema and arts venue in South Shields, are enabling young, unemployed people from across the region to gain a qualification in IT and Telecoms, get experience in the work place and find a job.

Zodiac have created a custom IT training facility near their Head Office in Team Valley, Gateshead containing the latest IT software and hardware. Young unemployed people are enrolled on an IT and Telcoms Professional Apprenticeship with Zodiac and attend the facility to get practical experience and gain their qualification. During this time they are given an Apprenticeship wage whilst supplying an IT support service to a wide range of businesses across the North East.

John Oliver of Zodiac is one of the trainers delivering the IT Apprenticeship qualification, he said, “The qualification is really hands on. At our IT facility we can recreate PC, server, network errors and so on and train the learners in the use of diagnostic tools and fault finding. It’s isn’t a traditional classroom, they have to get in there and get their hands dirty. It’s not just about fault finding either, we teach the learners how to service IT equipment in a proactive way in order to effectively stop faults before they start. We have 15 people on the programme right now and take on new learners throughout the year so I’d encourage any unemployed young person who is interested in a career in IT to get in touch.”

Zodiac Training IT Apprentices Christopher and Mark Render with Zodiac Marketing Manager Christopher Green

Two young people who did get in touch with Zodiac are brothers Christopher and Mark Render, they joined the Zodiac IT programme in July 2011 and will complete their training and qualification early in 2012. During the last 4 months of the programme they have been putting their training into practice one day a week at The Customs House in South Shields. The Custom’s House combines a theatre, cinema, restaurant, art gallery and conference facilities so the boys had their work cut out maintaining, servicing and upgrading the wide-range of IT equipment.

Speaking of his qualification and the IT support he supplies at The Customs House Christopher Render said, “It’s fantastic to be achieving my IT qualification and to be gaining real life experience at The Customs House. The training at Zodiac’s IT centre gave me new skills in hardware, software and networking and the confidence to use them in a work environment. It’s hard for people my age to get proper experience and without experience it’s even harder to find a job so I’m really grateful to The Customs House for giving me this opportunity.”

Christopher’s brother Mark added, “We’re at The Customs House at a great time of the year, it’s panto season right now so the place is buzzing and there’s always something going on and a new IT challenge to work on every time we’re here. It was daunting to be in such a fast moving business at first, but when I’m here I know that my Zodiac tutor is only a phone call away and he’ll support me with any additional help I need.”

Zodiac Training IT Apprentices Christopher and Mark Render outside The Customs House, South Shields

Customs House HR Administrator, Garry Besford looks after the two brothers when they’re working at The Customs House, he believes it is vital to give opportunities to young people like Christopher and Mark, he said, “At the Customs House we’re responsive to the needs of young people and we recognise the high worth of Apprentices – they’re beneficial to us as a business and to the young people we provide opportunities for. In the current climate I think it is crucial for responsible employers to provide opportunities to young people. Working with Zodiac has been extremely positive, they have pre-trained the IT Apprentices to a high standard so there was no risk to us as their technical capabilities had been checked and tested before they came here. The Customs House is always an exciting place to work and even more so at Christmas and I’m very pleased that Christopher and Mark have found their feet so quickly and have been able to make a really positive contribution.”

Zodiac’s Marketing Manager, Christopher Green added, “Government figures released earlier this month showed that a record number of 16-24 year olds are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and parts of the North-East were identified as NEET blackspots – this clearly shows that we need to provide the young people of our region with a greater range of opportunities. At Zodiac we’ve developed an innovative way for young people to overcome the two primary barriers to employment – lack of qualifications and lack of experience. We’ve created a blended solution combining academic elements with time spent in a work environment, so our Apprentices get both on the job and off the job experience, which is critical when it comes to them entering the job market. The experience Christopher and Mark have gained and the contribution they have made whilst working at The Customs House typifies the benefits of gaining qualifications in this way.”

So what’s next for brothers Christopher and Mark? Mark said, “With the qualification and the experience we have gained, it will certainly be easier to get our foot in the door with employers. Zodiac are helping us with our progression and I’m very excited about what I have learned and about my prospects for the future, things are looking bright.”

In November 2010 Lilian Mans, Chair of Zodiac Training, was delighted to be named as the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year and to receive the Susan Dobson Award for Entrepreneurship at the prestigious Women into the Network (WIN) Awards.

The WIN Awards are now in their 12th year and as part of the build up to this year’s ceremony, Lilian has been interviewed by the BDaily Business Network.

Lilian told BDaily that, “The Award was a real morale booster for me personally and I received lots of good publicity and congratulations from the business world”. She added that, “Every [woman] running a business should consider entering, as there are a range of categories. The benefits appear right from the beginning, i.e. when completing the entry form it makes you stand back and ‘look’ at what you have done and what you are doing. It helps you appreciate the achievements, which all too often busy entrepreneurs rush past”.

You can read the full interview on the BDaily website by clicking here.

If you’d like to enter your business for a WIN Award, visit the Women into the Network Website at www.womenintothenetwork.co.uk/awards.

The Zumbathon is part of a whole range of events that we’ve organised to raise money for The Prince’s Trust. Every penny raised goes to support disadvantaged young pepole in the North-East.

The Zumbathon is being run by a qualified Zumba instructor and will take place from 1.30pm until 4.30pm
on Saturday 8 October 2011 at:

Oxclose Community School
Dilston Close
Oxclose Village
Washington
Tyne and Wear
NE38 0LN

If you’d like to join the Zumba Party simply call Carole Loader on 07841 880 357 or text ‘Zumba’ plus ‘Your Name’ to the same number and Carole will call you back.

Photos of the event and details of money raised will be published in the News section of our website.

The Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme is designed to highlight and actively promote Apprenticeship opportunities for males within Care and to find them sustainable employment within the sector.

The first person to complete the Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme is Paul Errington of Wheatley Hill, County Durham.

Paul Errington: "It’s vital to encourage more men to work in the Care sector"

Paul has had an interesting and varied employment history. After leaving school in 1980 he began his working life as a general labourer and then as a painter and decorator. In 1990 Paul secured a job as a metal treatment processor, a role he stayed in for 10 years until the struggling company was forced to let staff go in 2000. Following a period of unemployment Paul spent his next 8 years working in a hardware store but unfortunately the company was forced to make redundancies and Paul found himself out of work once more.

In 2010 Paul heard about Zodiac’s Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme to encourage males into a career in Care. He was excited by the idea of career in which he would be working closely with people and have the opportunity to ‘give something back’ to the community. Paul contacted Zodiac’s Diversity in Apprenticeship Co-ordinator, David Culley, and a meeting was arranged.

Paul was impressed by the range of opportunities outlined by David, which included finding him sustainable employment and providing him with Care sector qualifications. David was equally impressed by Paul’s determination and work ethic.

Paul signed up to the Diversity in Apprenticeship programme in December 2010 and David quickly secured an interview for him at the Sacriston branch of Carewatch, the UK’s leading provider of care and support.

Paul’s interview was a success and he was employed by Carewatch as a Community Care Assistant.

Following Carewatch’s rigorous induction and work-shadowing process Paul began working in and around County Durham, supporting elderly people in their own homes and enabling them to maintain, and retain, independence, dignity and security.

Paul said, “I was really pleased that David secured an interview for me with Carewatch, I know of the company and the work they do and I wanted to be part of it. My typical day consists of going to a clients home, the client may need a bath or shower so I help them with that, I’ll prepare breakfast or other meals for the client and assist with any other domestic tasks that they would find difficult to do themselves, such as making beds and so on. I also check that the client takes their correct medication that day. Just as importantly I also interact with the client, it might just be a bit of banter about football but that level of social interaction is crucial”.

David Culley said, “One of the best things about Carewatch is the work trial; the people we sign up to the Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme can go out and shadow more experienced workers and get a feel for the work straight away, which is ideal because they haven’t worked in Care before”.

Carewatch manager David Wilkinson added, “We’re aware that a career in Care is not for everyone so we make sure that on the first day every new member of staff goes out with their supervisor to visit a Carewatch service user and get first-hand experience of the services we provide. If they like it at the end of the day then we carry on with the induction and training process. After the induction Zodiac take over and the staff begin their formal training and qualifications which are an Apprenticeship or NVQ in Health and Social Care, usually at level 2. Once that is complete, staff can move onto a higher level Apprenticeship or NVQ qualification, so it’s an ongoing programme of development”.

Paul has just completed his NVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care. Through his determination, Zodiac’s flexible training methods and the dedication of his Zodiac Training Advisor, Sacha Finkle he was able to complete the qualification in just 6 months, compared to the national average of 18 months.

Commenting on working with Paul, Sacha said, “Paul has been a pleasure to work with. He took to his new role and the qualification really well, which is reflected in the fact that he took just 6 months to complete his NVQ level 2. It’s been fantastic to see him grow in confidence and really satisfying to know that he’s now in sustainable employment and will be nurtured by Carewatch and Zodiac to carry on achieving and fulfilling his potential. We’re committed to his continuing success and I look forward to working with him on his level 3 qualification.”

From left to right: Zodiac Diversity in Apprenticeship Co-ordinator David Culley, successful apprentice Paul Errington, Zodiac Training Advisor Sacha Finkle, Carewatch Manager David Wilkinson

The prospects for Paul are bright says David Wilkinson, “The one thing we always do is promote from in-house, so the opportunities are there. The next step on the ladder is Senior Carer and then Deputy Supervisor, Supervisor and then it’s onto the Management scale. It’s a new career path where you can grow with the company”.

Paul believes that the Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme is an important one, he said, “It’s vital to encourage more men to work in the Care sector. Some of our clients simply do not feel comfortable unless they’re visited by a male Care Assistant, so if we don’t get more men into the sector it makes it more difficult for the client to get the support they want and deserve. In my experience it’s been extremely worthwhile and has led to an interesting and rewarding career”.

David Culley added, “Paul was the first of many who will complete the Diversity in Apprenticeship programme, he’s a great success story and a shining example of how our scheme can attract males into the sector and bring long-term benefits to individuals, to companies like Carewatch and to their clients. I would encourage any man who finds himself out of work to consider a career in Care and to get in touch to find out more about the Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme”.

Anyone who would like further information about Zodiac Training’s Diversity in Apprenticeship scheme should contact Zodiac on 0845 330 8184 or David Culley directly on 07595 272 305.

A ceremony was held on 15 December 2010 for the popular campaign which celebrates the dedication and excellence of the region’s young people.

The glitzy awards dinner, which was staged for the second year running at the Hilton on Gateshead Quays, saw 10 worthy winners being presented with £500 each and a trophy.

The winners in each category were: GCSE, Maria Jinks; A-level, Stephen Page; Community, Jodie Wilkinson; Arts, Felicity Briggs; Business and Enterprise, Nicky Gray; Apprenticeship, Rachel Johnston; Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, Daniel O’Brien; Sports, Stephen Hall; NVQ, Rachel Wearmouth; and Undergraduate, Rachel Charlton.

Maria Jinks, 16, of Morpeth, overcame huge obstacles to achieve her goals.

Maria missed a year of school after she was diagnosed with a spinal tumour two years ago.

Then, during her recovery, her home was devastated by floods which were the worst in the town’s history and forced her family to live in a hotel.

Despite the upheaval, Maria achieved top GCSEs at The King Edward VI School this summer and is now studying for her A-levels.

She said: “I never expected to win at all, especially when I heard the stories of the other finalists in my category, they were both worthy winners.

“I am going to use my prize money to buy my older sister a train ticket so she can come home for Christmas, she is studying in Guildford at the moment.”

Jodie Wilkinson, 21, from Walker, Newcastle, has worked hard to turn her life around.

During her teens she battled drinking and drugs and ended up living rough on the streets. She was referred to Your Homes Newcastle’s (YHN) Young People’s Service where she now volunteers and helps other young people get their lives back on the right track.

After being presented with her award she said: “I was gobsmacked when my name was called out. I couldn’t believe it. There were butterflies in my stomach.”

Felicity Briggs has also achieved beyond the odds. The 16-year-old student at Sacred Heart RC High in Fenham, Newcastle, was born with a condition called Treacher Collins Syndrome, which has caused facial deformity and hearing loss.

Despite the hardship, she is a keen piano player and a member of the school’s senior and chamber choirs.

She said: “It was a big surprise to find out I’d been nominated, and I didn’t expect to win at all.

“It was a lovely event, really posh, and I thought it was great just to be invited.”

The event was hosted by Galaxy radio presenters Steve Furnell and Karen Wight.

The campaign’s associate sponsor for this year was Zodiac Training and the award category sponsors were The R&B Group, Newcastle City Council, Northumbria University’s Sport Central and Newcastle Science City.

Article taken from The Chronicle, 16 December 2010. CLICK HERE to read the story on The Chronicle website.

Organised by WIN (Women into the Network), the Women Entrepreneur of the Year Awards are now in their 11th Year and are amongst the most prominent awards in the region.
During a lavish ceremony at the NewcastleGateshead Hilton, a packed hall celebrated the achievements of inspirational women whose entrepreneurial and leadership skills have helped to boost the region’s economy.

The highlight of the evening was, as always, the Susan Dobson Award for Entrepreneurship. This Flagship Award is sponsored by The Susan Dobson Memorial Fund and is given in honour of Susan Dobson, a truly remarkable entrepreneur. Lilian Mains has twice been runner up for the award and this time was absolutely delighted to go one better.

Lilian said, “It is a real thrill and a privilege. I’m extremely grateful to WIN and to Susan’s family for this honour. I’m also incredibly grateful to everyone who works with me at Zodiac Training – without their hard work, dedication and professionalism Zodiac wouldn’t be such a success and I would not have received this award.

“It’s both humbling and motivating to win an award given in memory of Susan Dobson, she was an inspirational woman. What she created in her lifetime and the legacy she left is a wonderful testimony to her as an entrepreneur and I hope that I can leave a legacy that in some small way matches hers.

“I started Zodiac in 1996 and the company was born out of my realisation that the North-East was changing and that I could be a part of that change and influence it for good. I remember my grandfather had a blacksmiths on exactly the same street as the one on which I opened our second office. It really brought home to me how the North-East had changed and how important it is to give people the skills they need to succeed in a changing environment. I’m delighted my work has been recognised in this way.”

Asked about the secret of her success, Lilian said, “Determination, a good sense of humour and an honest relationship with those around me. It’s so important to share both the good and the bad, that way you become a team and as a team you are much better able to support each other through any difficulties and drive business forward together.”

Nominations are now closed. Details of the ceremony can be found here.

Now in their tenth year the awards aim to champion and celebrate the hard work, dedication and commitment of our region’s young people.

The day began with a fascinating and thought provoking performance by Rotherham College’s Performing Arts Learners who promote diversity through drama. The performance was well received and attracted some very positive feedback.

From left: Event Organiser Alex Baghurst, Zodiac MD Jon Smith, Craven College E&D Manager Mary Waterfall, Craven College Staff Dev. Manager Catherine Adams, Zodiac HR Director Samantha Smith.

Following the dramatic performance by Rotherham College came the drama of the awards themselves. The Zodiac-sponsored embedding Equality and Diversity category attracted some extremely strong applications and demonstrated the excellent work being carried out by a wide variety of organisations.

Shortlisted for the award were Craven College, University Academy Keighley and Shipley College. All 3 nominees demonstrated their total dedication to embedding equality and diversity and the sharing of best practice. Zodiac Training’s Managing Director, Jon Smith, announced Craven College the winners of the award, with University Academy Keighley being Highly Commended.

Catherine Adams, Staff Development Manager of Craven College said, “We feel delighted, fantastic! It’s recognition of a lot of hard work from the whole team across the college. In the last 12 months we’ve made significant progress in terms of how we approach equality and diversity and we have managed to embed equality and diversity into everything we do in the college.”

Jon Smith, Managing Director of Zodiac Training said, “Since we first launched in 1996 we have built Zodiac Training upon our passionate belief that a safe and fair learning environment can and should be available to everyone, so we are delighted to be here supporting and celebrating equality and diversity within further education. I would like to congratulate Craven College for their success and all of the nominees for their hard work and dedication in embedding equality and diversity – it’s been a privilege to share your experiences.”

Footage of the awards, including the performance by Rotherham College’s Performing Arts Learners can be viewed here.