skills

NLT strengthens team with new appointment

Increased course demand has promoted the latest appointment at NLT Training Services.

Emily Marriot joins the training provider to support with course booking and delivery across NLT’s Chesterfield and Scunthorpe sites.

She brings training and development experience to NLT, having completed a Business Administration apprenticeship with NLT’s training delivery partner Impulse Training Ltd. Emily is also currently undertaking a Level 4 Assessor Coach Apprenticeship which, once complete, will enable Emily to deliver a number of NLT’s courses.

Emily will also help deliver NLT’s Step into Employment programme which is funded by the charitable arm of the training provider. The free six-week Step into Employment programme delivers practical support and advice to people facing unemployment, helping them create their own personal roadmap back to the workplace.

Emily commented: “I love the variety of the role and the people I get to meet at NLT. I am working with experienced industry professionals, young people, later life career changers and refugee families. It’s a fantastic opportunity for both career and personal development.”

Outside work Emily is kept occupied with her two dogs and four horses which she rides five.

NLT Training Services, based in Chesterfield, has been delivering workplace training to individuals and companies since 1968. NLT is also registered as a charity with the Charity Commission.

NLT’s courses, whether bespoke or an industry requirement, are designed to ensure compliance with regulatory authorities and the due diligence requirements of business.

To find out more about the range of Health and Safety, Mechanical Engineering and Leadership and Management courses available at NLT, call 0333 880 3540 or browse the course catalogue on the NLT website at www.nlt-training.co.uk

Find out more about the vast range of training opportunities in Chesterfield here.

NLT Training supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Home, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

Weightron expands its growing team with the hiring of a new apprentice

Chesterfield-based manufacturing and engineering firm, Weightron Bilanciai has announced a further addition to the firm’s apprenticeship programme with the hiring of a new Fabricator Welder.

As there is a generational skills gap appearing, Weightron has taken the decision to expand its scope of apprenticeships into the manufacturing section of its business, providing future skilled workers for its expanding business operation.

The latest recruit to the company, 19-year-old Kai Pollard, said: “Before I joined Weightron I studied Henry Fanshaw School in Dronfield. Outside from my job I have a real passion for Mountain Biking and Hip-Hop music.

“I chose to go down the apprenticeship route as I really enjoy fabricating steel products and seeing the transition of raw materials into a finished product that can be utilized in real life scenarios.

“Weightron Bilanciai are providing me with training, support, and skills I require to undertake the challenge of becoming a qualified fabricator. The reason I choose to join Weightron was the scope to work on, and learn to understand large scale fabrication, broadening my horizons in the field of fabrication.

Kai also had a message for other young people in the area wondering what their next steps are with regards to their future careers: “I would highly recommend doing an apprenticeship to any young person searching for a job.

“I love the hands-on approach that my apprenticeship is giving me, Weightron are providing me an environment where I can learn and obtain formal qualifications whilst earning and gaining vital life experiences.”

You can find out more about Chesterfield’s innovative skills and employability offer, and find out about the wide range of career opportunities available in the town by heading over to our My Future and Apprentice Town pages.

Weightron Bilanciai supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About ChesterfieldTagged in , , , , , , , , ,

Workpays welcomes new international leadership

After 11 years of growth and supporting thousands of people throughout their employment journey, skills provider Workpays has welcomed Alex Glasner to the company.

Alex will join Anne Wright as a Managing Director and together they will lead Workpays into its 12th year and beyond.

Anne said: “The changes to the leadership structure will enable our fantastic Workpays team to do even more than we have done before. I am looking forward to working with Alex and the entire Workpays family as we drive Workpays from strength to strength”.

Helen Richardson MBE will step back from her position as CEO but will remain very much at the heart of Workpays in her role as Chair of the new Advisory Board.

Alex brings to Workpays a plethora of fresh ideas and intellectual capital, after a career spanning the US, the UK, and Asia – from Parliament in London to finance in New York.

Alex said: “I have always understood the importance of education and guidance not only to support people into and within the workplace, but to help local businesses thrive.

I have spent much of my life supporting the growth of those around me and the businesses that I am a part of. I’m excited to bring this energy to Workpays as we continue to work hard for thousands of people across the Midlands.”

Workpays’ mission continues to be that of supporting people to have the best employability knowledge and to assist participants to gain the skills necessary to progress into a job and on to a successful career.

You can hear the reaction of Helen Richardson MBE to being honoured with the title on episode 5 of The Chesterfield Show Podcast, which is now live on Spotify.

Workpays supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Community Chesterfield launches next round of training and shared learning sessions

Community Chesterfield has launched its next phase of training and shared learning workshops to support the learning needs of staff and students at the University of Derby, as well as community and voluntary third sector groups across Derbyshire which help people in Chesterfield.

The project, which is a Lottery funded partnership between Derbyshire Voluntary Action (DVA) and the University of Derby, has announced the topics to be covered up to February next year across its different learning programmes.

A variety of workshops which are one to two hour long one-off sessions covering a range of topics, will take place throughout the rest of the year. The subjects being focused on are a Makaton taster, Introduction to Domestic Abuse Training (accredited), Introduction to Basic Counselling Skills and Gambling-Related Harm Awareness.

Due to its popularity during previous series, the project’s Training and Tea sessions are returning, the first of which is a series of seven sessions focusing on fundraising to be delivered by Anna Clyne, director of MTH Consulting, who has 15 years’ experience working in frontline and management positions within the sector.

She specialises in supporting UK and international charities to understand impact, build a strategic approach to income generation and develop compelling funding approaches. Her first session will take place on 6 October.

Andrew Deighton will also return to facilitate more Training and Tea sessions early next year, delivering subjects including Solving Problems and Generating Ideas, Personal Development Planning and Managing Your Time More Effectively.

Connect and Reflect, which aims to connect the community, the health and social care sector and the University to allow them to discuss, learn from and reflect on the common experiences we each have, will also continue on the second Tuesday of every month.

The interactive online networking and shared learning sessions will cover the following topics between August and December: Conversations about Coaching and Building Teams, Accessible and Creative Communication and End of Life: Those Who Give Support Need Support, Identity and Intersectionality and Social Media: Professionally Sociable.

Connect and Reflect is for community and voluntary third sector organisations or groups helping people in Chesterfield, staff and students at the University of Derby and individuals working within Health or Social Care for people in Chesterfield.

Community Chesterfield also provides access to E-Learning courses which can be completed at your own pace. Available topics include Assessing Display Screen Equipment (DSE), First Aid Awareness, Negotiation and Time Management.

Places on all the above training and shared learning are free for University of Derby staff and students with a connection to Chesterfield, as well as those working at or volunteering for Derbyshire-based ‘not for profit’ community organisations helping people in Chesterfield. Some subsidised tickets are available for Training and Tea for anyone in Derbyshire. Terms and conditions apply.

For the full list of training and shared learning or to book a place on any of the sessions, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/community-chesterfield-30163085884.

Community Chesterfield supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 190 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Regional unemployment rate remains below UK average for second successive month

Unemployment in the East Midlands has grown slightly – but remains below the national average, according to the latest figures.

The region’s unemployment rate for the period between May and July 2021 was 4.4%, up by 0.1% compared to between April and June, the Office for National Statistics’ latest regional labour market report revealed.

But for the second successive month it was lower than the UK-wide figure, even as this dropped from 4.7% to 4.6% during the same timeframe.

Previously, the region’s jobs market had consistently been hit harder than the rest of the country during almost the entire pandemic – peaking at 5.9% and 0.8% above the national average.

East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “After some concerning numbers at the beginning of this year, the unemployment rate appears to have stabilised as Covid-19 restrictions have been rolled back, with the latest data including the period in which stage four of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown was implemented.

“This has enabled industries that are heavily represented in our region’s economy – including hospitality, retail, and leisure and tourism – to finally reopen fully and prove they have always remained viable if the trading environment allows.

“At the same time, we’ve also seen initiatives like the Kickstart Scheme – in which the Chamber has played a key role as a gateway organisation to facilitate more than 1,000 job placements – contribute to helping young people, who had been disproportionately affected by Covid, find work.

“We expect the region’s jobs market to continue improving, with the latest data from the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q3 2021 showing a net 26%* of East Midlands businesses saying they have increased headcount over the previous three months and a net 41% expecting a rise in employment over the coming three months.”

Acute hiring crisis for businesses slows progress for employment

While the UK’s August payrolls showed another monthly increase of 241,000 to 29.1 million, the headline figure was that job vacancies hit a record high, rising above one million for the first time since they were recorded in 2001.

Scott added: “The slight increase in the unemployment rate for this latest period may be due to the ‘pingdemic’, which meant some businesses struggled to resume trading as normal because staff and customers were forced to self-isolate. The inevitable hit to income may have deterred firms from recruiting until the Government changed quarantine rules in mid-August.

“The record number of vacancies also highlights the acute hiring crisis faced by many businesses right now. Of the 69% of East Midlands firms that attempted to recruit in the third quarter, our QES showed that 73% of those faced problems in finding the right people.

“We have skills shortages across the board that urgently need to be addressed. Many of these are longstanding but as Brexit and Covid have driven a more deep-seated decline in labour supply, they have come to the fore more prominently.

“The end of furlough is unlikely to be a silver bullet to the ongoing shortages and these recruitment difficulties will likely dampen the recovery by limiting businesses’ ability to fulfil orders and meet customer demand.

“More needs to be done to ensure businesses have access to skills when these can’t be recruited locally – including access to rapid and agile training and re-skilling opportunities for adults in the workforce, and a more flexible immigration system that allows firms to access the high and low-skilled workers they need.”

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Chesterfield businesses can access support in recruiting highly-skilled graduates

Businesses looking to benefit from graduate talent, that already employ less than 250 people, can access free, tailored recruitment, talent matching, training and funding support through RISE.

RISE is delivered in partnership with Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Sheffield and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

Working closely with firms to understand their very specific needs, RISE supports the sourcing, hiring, and the successful transition of graduates into the workplace.  Since RISE launched in 2013, more than 470 businesses in Sheffield City Region have benefited from the free recruitment and wrap-around business support they deliver.

Xbite, an online retailer based in North Derbyshire recently connected with RISE to accelerate their growth plans.

Rikki Stout, Head of HR at Xbite, explains: “We connected with RISE because we wanted to meet, train and develop fresh graduate talent. We understand the value in finding ambitious young people who are hungry for experience and seeking a challenge. RISE has matched us with excellent people straight from university, meaning we can nurture and develop them early on. We are part of their journey and they are part of ours.”

“Meet the candidates that RISE match you with and you’ll understand the calibre of people in their talent pool. It is true that graduates will need time to learn your specific systems, tech and culture, but that is the same with any new appointment. You wouldn’t expect someone to race a F1 car just because they have a driving licence.  If anything, there are some major benefits to businesses that can connect with people in this way, and play a role in developing their skills at the very start of their career.”

RISE is engaging with businesses from now until 13th October 2021, and would encourage businesses to get in touch as soon as possible if they would like help to secure talent.

Find out more at: www.risescr.co.uk 

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Local Work Experience Programme a Huge Success at Vicar Lane

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre’s recent work experience programme has been hailed as a huge success, after independent retailers helped with providing a 10-week work course for learners from Shirebrook.

The programme, put together by Shaun Brown, Centre Manager of Vicar Lane, and Sandra Currey, Programme Development Worker for Derbyshire Adult Community Education Services (DACES), saw five young learners from Shirebrook work with the centre’s independent outlets (Qoozies, Nana B Baby Boutique, Shop Indie and Gorilla Garms), as well as the Centre Management team.

The programme helped the learners to broaden their horizons, raise their aspirations and understand the reality of the world of work.

Each week, the learners began their day with an introductory session at the Centre Management Suite, before heading off to work in the participating independent outlets from 10am until 3pm. They then ended the day back at the Centre Management Suite where they reflected on their day’s work.

Taking part in the work experience programme has enabled the learners to bridge the gap between their education and the world of work, and helped them to find out more about potential career paths that are open to them.

The Shirebrook learners, said:

  • ‘’The programme has gone very well, I was quite nervous at the start but once I met Shaun, I felt a lot more comfortable and as the weeks kept going, I starting to feel a lot more confident. The placement has helped me decide what I want to do in the future.’’
  • ‘’My favourite part of the placement was getting to know all the staff and being able to get along with everyone because they are so friendly – I was offered an apprenticeship opportunity, and this has boosted my confidence.’’
  • ‘’Doing this work experience has helped me gain the confidence to work with the general-public, and work in a professional manner and to be able to handle working under pressure.’’
  • ‘’I have really enjoyed the online side of the business – it has been interesting tracking the customers who shop online and sending emails to them to let them know their order is on the way.’’
  • ‘’My placement has been amazing – this programme has helped me with talking to new people and has improved my confidence.’’
  • ‘’My placement has been great! I have gained confidence and learnt how to deal with difficult situations in a professional way.’’

Carole Healey, Programme Development Manager, said: “I was extremely impressed by the care, support and professionalism of Shaun. The fact that in order to facilitate our learners to the best of his ability and support them, Shaun also undertook to gain a teaching qualification in record time!”

“The inspirational way in which Shaun engages with our young people and the staff who have hosted them in their chosen work placements, is very evident. I could see for myself the difference it made. I witnessed the increase in confidence and maturity that this programme has given them.

“I would like to thank Shaun and everyone involved in this programme. The impact on these young people cannot be underestimated and I know they will carry this experience as a positive in their lives.”

Sandra Currey, Programme Development Worker, said: “Shaun was instrumental in setting up initial meetings with the employers and encouraging them to take part in the work experience pilot and he has taken an active role each week by delivering an excellent induction and several Nearpod lessons based around health and safety to ensure that learners were prepared for the world of work.”

“Shaun went over and above our expectations and undertook the Award in Education and Training qualification before the placement started to ensure that he delivered a professional service for our learners – we can’t thank him enough.”

“Shaun has enhanced the Study Programme curriculum by his involvement and everyone at DACES hopes that the project can continue in the future.”

Bev McKenzie, Study Programme Worker and Tutor, said: “Vicar Lane Shopping Centre and Shaun Brown have been tremendous in providing our students with the best possible work placement for their Customer Service qualification and work experience.

“Shaun supported them throughout the process and communicated with the tutors regularly so to ensure the project ran smoothly. We have created a great working relationship with Shaun and look forward to working with him in Sept 2021 when our new cohort are on board.”

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Chesterfield College asks creative businesses to join their campaign to highlight how Creativity Pays

Chesterfield College is calling for creative businesses across Derbyshire to join their campaign to highlight how crucial creative skills are for the economy, our communities and our wellbeing.

The campaign, Creativity Pays, will showcase creative businesses and careers as well as connect the community to support local makers and creatives. It also aims to encourage people to develop the skills the creative industries sector in our region need for the future.

Pre-pandemic the creative industries sector in the UK was enjoying a boom and growing faster than any other sector. Jobs were growing at 2.7 times the national average, and the sector contributed £13.2m/hour to the economy (source: DCMS 2019).

Importantly, designers, filmmakers, actors, photographers, journalists, publishers, musicians have all played a role in supporting us through the challenges we have faced as a society during the pandemic. Whether that is through bringing us news, crucial information or keeping us entertained as we stayed at home.

Over the last year, the creative industries sector has been hit hard by the pandemic. However, there are many who believe this sector will form a crucial part of our recovery and will help us build back for the future.

Julie Richards, Principal and CEO of The Chesterfield College Group said: “This initiative provides us with a unique opportunity to highlight how important creative industries are for our region. As a college with a strong history in developing creative skills and supporting creative businesses, we are at the forefront of developing the skills required for a career in the sector. This campaign provides us with the opportunity to celebrate creative careers, the success of our students and the creative businesses in Derbyshire who are so important for our local economy which in turn will encourage others to develop their creative skills.”

Talking about why he feels Creativity Pays, former Chesterfield College art student and successful artist Peter Barber said: “I have built my career doing something I love over the last 25 years since leaving college. I have worked in the community and now I am a commercial artist. I believe creative careers are so important. When you look at almost anything there is in the world around you, it literally started life with someone with a pencil. We are lucky enough in Britain that creative industries are strong and people want to create and work here. My work in advertising had a bit of a resurgence after the last lockdown and I think we will see that happen again. We are in a good place for the future.”

The college is inviting people to get involved in the campaign in a number of ways including:
• Tell the story of how creativity pays for you on social media using #creativitypays
• Shout about the local creative businesses you love and add them to their Creativity Pays directory #creativederbyshire

Find out more about the campaign and how to get involved at chesterfield.ac.uk/creativitypays/.

Chesterfield College supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

Ringwood Hall staff receive training from fellow Chesterfield business, White Rose Beauty Colleges

Staff at Ringwood Hall were given a training boost recently with the help of fellow Chesterfield Champions, White Rose Beauty Colleges.

The White Rose team recently carried out CPD Accredited Training with the therapists at Ringwood’s ‘The Garden Secret Spa,’ located within the grounds of Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa in Chesterfield.

The Spa Therapists enjoyed advance training in deep tissue massage using the ancient method of Bamboo on hands & feet.  They completed their Health and wellbeing course within 6 weeks which supported their gradual return back to work.

Jemma Whitney, Garden Secret Spa Manager at Ringwood Hall commented: “The whole team at the Garden Secret Spa have enjoyed training and refreshing their skills with White Rose Beauty Colleges, after a stop start year for the beauty industry it was important for our team to feel confident and up to date with the latest training for their return to work this May.

“It is great to collaborate with a local Chesterfield College, we are often able to provide work placements and apprenticeships for their students which have led to full time employment in the Garden Secret Spa at Ringwood Hall.”

Jules Slack, Corporate Ambassador for White Rose Beauty Colleges went onto explain: “We plan to continue to work in collaboration with The Garden Secret Spa, Ringwood Hall Hotel in Chesterfield, by offering our students the opportunity of achieving a New Apprenticeship in wellbeing and Holistic Therapy.”

Jules also went onto say that this new apprenticeship qualification will meet the needs on all wellbeing environments; Spas, Leisure, Holistic or Wellness Therapy Centres and Beauty Salons. The team can provide bespoke training tailored to meet the needs of the individual businesses in the Chesterfield community, providing individuals the opportunity to upskill or enhance their current skills.

For more information on FREE CPD Bespoke Training Courses, email jules.slack@whiterosebeautycolleges.co.uk

White Rose Beauty Colleges and Ringwood Hall Hotel & Spa support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , ,

Businesses Given Access to Leadership Skills Development Through New Project

Small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire can access support in developing leadership and management skills through a new project which is set to launch this month through the University of Derby.

The Smart and Inclusive Leadership (SAIL) project will support employees of SMEs in developing the leadership and management skills needed to drive productivity and growth. Supervisors, managers, recent graduates and aspiring leaders will be able to start the online programme from 24 May 2021. Coaching and mentoring to support career development will also be available to participants.

The project is part of the European Social Fund (ESF) High Level Skills programme. A second project focusing on developing science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) skills will also be offered later in the year. Both projects will be delivered by a consortium of higher education, further education and third sector organisations. Led by Nottingham Trent University (NTU), the consortium includes the University of Derby, Derby College, Nottingham College, East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, Inspire Culture and Learning, and the Workers’ Educational Association.

The projects, part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), will be bolstered by the same amount in match funding by delivery partners, meaning there is no cost to eligible organisations that choose to participate.

Professor Warren Manning, Provost Innovation and Research at the University of Derby, said: “We are delighted to be part of these two new projects aimed at supporting SMEs and their employees with specific focus on the development of high-level skills.

“Partnerships between business, universities and other education providers are essential for driving innovation in the region and we are pleased to be part of the consortium delivering this training.”

Both projects will encourage participation of people underrepresented in both leadership and management, and STEM. This includes but is not limited to; women, BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) groups, disabled people, people living in a single adult household with dependent children, and people without basic skills qualifications.

To find out more about how to join the upcoming leadership programme, visit Smart and Inclusive Leadership Programme and for further information on the STEM programme visit Branch Out in STEM.

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£2 million ‘Taste Local’ scheme to support more than 1,500 people across the D2N2 region

DBC Training, working in partnership with Orbital Recruitment have been allocated £2m of European Social & Investment Funds (ESIF) to deliver the ‘Taste Local’ programme in the D2N2 region.

Taste Local is exclusive to the region and will provide valuable investment in skills and recruitment to help support unemployed people into Food & Drink sector jobs– unlocking new opportunities and supporting over 1500 local people to upskill, re-skill and gain employment to provide a boost to the economic prosperity of the region and help with the Covid recovery.

Taste Local will offer fully-funded training for D2N2 residents to help improve their employability and support business’ recovery at this challenging time. This includes bespoke packages of employment, skills and recruitment solutions at no cost to your business.

Courses/Services include (but are not limited to):

  • Basic Food Hygiene
  • Food Safety
  • Standards & Certification
  • Health & Safety in the workplace
  • Bespoke modules such as Butchery / Bakery
  • Access to additional funding such as Kickstart & Apprenticeship incentives
  • Recruitment and HR support from Orbital

Kerry Bentley, Managing Director at DBC Training said: “We are delighted to launch the Taste Local programme and offer new investment for our region’s businesses in this growing sector, whilst also improving the skills and employment prospects of 1500 local D2N2 residents. This really couldn’t come at a better time as we look to support our region and local economy to recover, rebound and thrive following the pandemic”.

Mark Burton Director at Orbital Recruitment added, ‘This last year has been challenging in so many ways but as an established business owner in the D2N2 area we are delighted to help support our community with our contribution to post Covid regeneration. The Taste Local project is a fantastic opportunity to access free training and recruitment at a time when the food and drink sector needs it most.’

For more details contact DBC Training directly at info@dbc-training.co.uk or 01332 295 588.

DBC Training supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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