Working for specialist adventurewear manufacturer Berghaus and as a part time model, Amy Snowdon knows how important it is to have the right kit.
So when it came to planning her career, she knew she’d need to get the right guidance and qualifications to reach her ultimate goal of running her own recruitment business.

Amy turned to Access Training, based in Team Valley, Gateshead, who introduced her to Berghaus where she was steered her through an appropriate training programme.

And now, with the help of training assessor Brian Diver, the 18-year-old from Red House in Sunderland is cramming her qualifications kit bag with the certificates which will open doors in the world of business.

She began with an Advanced Apprenticeship in Business Administration and then, with Brian’s encouragement, moved on to a three year BA Business and Human Resource Management degree at Sunderland University.

Amy feared she’d need to give up the job she enjoyed so much to make space for her lectures but Access Training again stepped in and managed to negotiate a part time contract so that work and study can be balanced.

Said Amy: “My goal is to go into human resources management and eventually have my own recruitment business, but I wasn’t sure how I would ever get there. Brian has always come up with the right advice and options and I really feel I’m heading in the right direction. “

He added: “I wanted Amy to stay with Berghaus because it is an international company with a great graduate scheme that she may be able to fast track once she completes her course. I spoke to her line manager because I knew how much the job would help her and they would get to keep an employee they value. Amy has shown she has amazing potential in business.”
Amy’s manager at Berghaus, Affy Alldred said: “She knows the systems really well and has built up good relationships with everyone, colleagues and customers alike. She had worked hard so we wanted to accommodate her learning schedule into part time hours.

“We are keen to encourage employees to take up learning and new skills as it brings benefits to both and helps people get experience. Amy can offer her Berghaus experience to classmates and will eventually be able to bring academic knowledge into the workplace, which is mutually beneficial.”

The academic aspiration in Amy does not end with one university course, as she aims to begin a Masters degree in Business or Human Resources when she completes her current three year programme. During that time, she also hopes to take up the opportunity to study in the US for one year as an exchange student, to broaden her business knowledge to an international level.
Success stories such as Amy’s have helped Access to gain Matrix accreditation which is the unique quality framework for the effective delivery of information, advice or guidance on learning and work.

Access aims to provide excellence in vocational learning, encouraging individual career development and supporting the north east employer base. It has helped over 4,000 young people into employment through apprenticeships.

Leanne Gilhespie feared her office job ambitions were sinking fast after spending two years as a swimming pool lifeguard.

Unable to find a way into a business administration position, she turned to Access Training and was thrown the lifeline that has re-floated her career.

Now, having completed an advanced apprenticeship in business administration, Leanne, 20 and from Bensham, is working towards her advanced apprenticeship in customer service while being groomed for a service advisor and warranty administrator’s role with Hodgson Mazda/Suzuki in Newcastle.

Leanne waves goodbye to life as a lifeguard

“I can’t believe how quickly things have turned around and it’s all thanks to the guidance and support I’ve had from my training advisors. Access got me my first placement in a motor trade administration role and set me on the road to getting the right qualifications. I joined Hodgson in September and have had nothing but support and encouragement to develop my skills and experience.

“I am enjoying every day and gaining experience in the day to day running of the service department, dealing with customers and really getting to know how the business works. I’d love to work my way up to an admin management role.”

Leanne’s boss, service manager Andrew Plant, added: “Leanne has really settled in well, shows great enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. She has the potential to succeed in a busy demanding role if she continues to progress the way she has. I believe the training she is doing is also providing her with new skills and the confidence to apply them at work. She will also benefit from manufacturers’ and in-house training.”

Leanne is now part of a business which was founded by Les Hodgson in 1959, relocated its Mazda franchise to the Silverlink in 1992 and has since also introduced Suzuki and Toyota as well as investing £4 million in a flagship site near the Metro Centre. Hodgson is the UK’s Number one Mazda retail dealer as well as Suzuki dealer of the year 2006.

In partnership with ITEC North East and Gateshead College, Access Training forms the only Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) for business and management training in the North East. Established in 1989, it has helped over 4,000 young people into employment through apprenticeships. It is one of the first private training providers in the region to have undergone and passed an inspection by Ofsted – the Office for Standards in Education.

Training manager Chris Scott commented: “Work based learning is the ideal opportunity for many young people who want to earn while they learn. Leanne is the perfect example of what they can achieve in terms of building a platform to improve both job satisfaction and earnings potential.”

Apprenticeships are the corner stone of the Learning and Skills Council’s drive to improve the skills of young people. They offer training for existing staff and new recruits in a wide range of areas and there are over 160 different courses offering relevant training designed by business for business.

Trainees learn while they work, so their knowledge is up-to-date and because their training is on the job, the practical skills they gain are the ones that are right for business.