Bespoke Concrete Products Apprentice Matty Rich (centre) gets a little help polishing one of the Olympic waymarkers from Production Manager Martin Kay and Access Business Solutions Consultant Mel Taylor
Concrete job offers have set a group of North East apprentices on the Olympic trail.
All employed at Bespoke Concrete Products, they will be working on projects that include the manufacture of polished concrete waymarkers, benches and special tree planters for the London Olympics.
Flood defence components, products for the building industry and highly polished concrete racking for wine cellars are also challenges being tackled by the expanding, Prudhoe based firm.
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Matty Rich, 22, from Throckley and David Smith, 20 from Prudhoe, working in the dry cast section; Dean Bates, 20, from Winlaton, Chris Dodd, 25, from Hexham and Daniel Pickering, 25, from Byker working in the wet cast section and Richard Young, 19, from Prudhoe working in the steel section, are all on a specially tailored Access training programme.
One of the region's top training providers, Access was selected to deliver the apprenticeships in Manufacturing Operations and a newly introduced qualification in Industrial Environment Awareness because of the expertise, flexibility and responsiveness it could offer.
Matty, a former professional ice hockey player in Canada and with the Newcastle Vipers, until injury cut short his career, said of his new opportunity: "Although we have just started we have been made to feel part of the set up very quickly
"There is a buddying system so each of us is working with someone with experience in the industry and at the company. This is helping us to learn the ropes quickly and we're all really looking forward to the apprenticeship programme."
Martin Kay, Production Controller at Bespoke Concrete Products, added: "As we expand into new, more specialist markets, we needed to increase our staff and felt apprenticeships offered the best opportunity to do that as we can train the lads in the methods and techniques required.
"Working with Sunderland University and Business Link we're researching and developing some eco projects to produce much more environmentally friendly concrete products by using recycled raw materials such as glass and ash from power stations. It's all designed to reduce the carbon footprint."
The company has also been involved in several other high profile projects such as the Newcastle Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the Benedict Building in Sunderland and the refurbishment of the Hancock - now Great North - Museum.
Mel Taylor, Business Solutions Consultant with Access, commented: "We are delighted to have secured this new contract and look forward to helping Bespoke Concrete Products develop its workforce and expand into new business areas.
"We worked closely with the company to develop a training programme which best meets its needs and this project demonstrates perfectly how investment in the right training can help a business to develop and grow."
Irene Liddle, of Maia HR Solutions, has advised Bespoke Concrete Products throughout the recruitment process and training provider selection.
