Photograph left to right: Francesca Tones, Jackie Howett (Account Co-ordinator, Geka) and Suzanne Miller (Skills Adviser, Access)

A North East based cosmetic brush manufacturer is made up with a specialist training programme which is improving team performance.

Geka, which operates from Stanley in County Durham, called in Access to support its long established apprenticeship programme. In addition to the traditional apprenticeships the company also set up a mentoring programme to support its learners.

Francesca Tones, 19 and from Tantobie, has been with Geka for just over a year and is the company's first commercial apprentice - working towards a Business Administration qualification. As well as the support of her Access Skills Adviser, she receives guidance from a number of mentors who guide her throughout the course.

A management trainee who feared her learning wasted when her training provider went into administration is back on the career ladder thanks to Access Apprenticeships.

Michelle Cook, 23 and from Seaton Delaval was six months into a team leading apprenticeship when the recession claimed her training provider. Her prospects looked bleak until Access stepped in, arranging for her to pick up her training and continue working with David Gray Solicitors.

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 Baltic Publications apprentice Ashley Heir is warming to the idea of working with numbers after her training advisor suggested a change of career direction.

Far from being all at sea, the 18-year-old from Gateshead has found that adding to her skills portfolio is opening up new work based opportunities.

Having been found a business administration position with the publisher by her trainers - Access - last year, Ashley has now been persuaded to move on to an apprentice accountant's position.

After helping Ashley to achieve NVQ Level 2 in Business Admin, Baltic Publications has brought in Access once again to ensure their able apprentice passes her level 3 AAT accountancy course.

She said: "Access has been very supportive throughout both courses. I have never studied accounting before so I was hesitant at first but I enjoy a challenge and believe it will be a good career path for the future." "My new accounting skill's advisor has always been on hand to help and we meet regularly to check my progress, making my transition into accounting so much easier."

The printing house, located at the Baltic Business Centre, has been in business since 2002 and is responsible for the publication of a number of business, career and sport related magazines.

Baltic Publications' Accounts Manager Phillipa Mullen is delighted with her new apprentice's hard work, noting her competency for the role and mature attitude. She commented: "We decided to move Ashley to accounts as we thought it would be a more challenging position where she could reach her full potential. We've used Access a number of times and couldn't think of anyone better to train her."

L-R Stuart Gibb - Training Manager, Shelley Pounder - Advisor
Melody Taylor - Business Solutions Consultant, Access

A business which advises thousands of people every day on issues from keeping warm in winter to employment law has turned to Access for some guidance of its own.

eaga, the UK's leading provider of residential energy efficiency solutions, manages the government's Warm Front heating and insulation grant programme.

Its advice services department has around 150 members of staff carrying out benefit entitlement checks on behalf of various utility companies to ensure people are claiming all the state benefits to which they are entitled. It also provides advice on welfare benefits, housing law, employment law and money matters through the telephone based community legal advice scheme.

Stuart Gibb, the department's training manager, says: "We are committed to improving our staff and supporting their development. But we didn't want the training to be just a paper exercise. We really wanted our advisers to get something from it and make it a worthwhile experience to help build their confidence. We looked at a number of training providers and Access was the right organisation to meet our requirements.

"This NVQ level 3 in advice and guidance fits perfectly with the type of work that we do and the people who have completed the course found it very worthwhile and have got a lot out of it."

Benefit Adviser, Shelley Pounder, agrees, saying: "I have to say that the NVQ process has been excellent. I can't think of anyway in which my experience could have been improved. The fact that eaga has been so willing for us to complete the qualification and also the choice of a great training organisation meant it was very straight forward."

Team Valley based Access now offers a range of qualifications specifically aimed at helping businesses improve the support that they can offer to their clients.

The company, awarded the Matrix standard for the delivery and quality of its own information, advice and guidance (IAG), has now been accredited to offer NVQs in Advice and Guidance at levels 2, 3 and 4.

Mel Taylor, Business Development Consultant at Access, explained: "People need advice and guidance in all aspects of their lives. Whether it is help in sourcing information from a library or voluntary organisation, gaining advice about housing, benefit entitlement, energy efficiency, where to stay or even which specs to choose at an opticians, we all expect the people we ask to be qualified to provide it.

"These Advice and Guidance qualifications are proving very popular as they provide organisations with the confidence that their staff are competent in communicating with and supporting their clients and ultimately providing an excellent level of service."

(L-R) Gary Thorpe (Access Skills Adviser), Malcolm Webb (direct line manager with IDS Fire and Security) and
Chris Darling.



One of the first jobs tackled by security systems engineer Chris Darling after he completed his apprenticeship was with the training provider which boosted his career.

The 21-year-old, from Kingston Park, Newcastle, who successfully completed an Advanced Apprenticeship in Security Systems earlier this year, almost immediately found himself back with training provider Access.

But this time it was to install fire safety and security systems at the company’s new headquarters in the recently completed £6 million Gateshead Skills Academy on Team Valley.

Having quickly impressed his employer, IDS Fire and Security, Chris was offered a permanent position as he worked towards his apprenticeship qualification.

He said: “My training has taken me a long way in a fairly short space of time but I never imagined I’d be returning to Access so quickly - as a fully qualified professional rather than a student!”

The move to Skills Academy, funded by the Learning and Skills Council and One North East, is part of Access’ ambitious expansion plans. Managing director, Malcolm Armstrong, said: “It’s a very exciting time for us and it’s quite fitting that a former apprentice is helping us with our expansion.

“Work based learning, like apprenticeships, offer valuable experience and preparation for the working world, providing great career prospects for young people, as Chris is proving.”

From its new base Access is now better placed to support the drive to improve the skills of the North East workforce and help the region to remain productive and competitive. To do this it has reorganised operations to focus on three key areas.

Access Business Solutions works with employers to identify their business and training needs, providing advice on training solutions and helping to secure funding for training. Access Apprenticeships focuses on the government’s flagship training programmes for 16-24 year olds, building on the company’s excellent reputation for tailoring these national programmes for individual employers. Access Training encompasses all other training services for employers and employees including Train to Gain, commercial and short course provision, teaching and learning programmes and conference facilities.

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.