Team confirmed for apprenticeship scheme

30 Apr 2010

A Government backed organisation tasked with increasing the number of young people taking up apprenticeships across the region has unveiled its new senior management team.

A Government backed organisation tasked with increasing the number of young people taking up apprenticeships across the region has unveiled its new senior management team.

The North East Apprenticeship Company (NEAC), which was launched by the former Minister for 14-19 Reform and Apprenticeships Iain Wright MP earlier this year, and has the backing of employers, regional business bodies like the CBI and the Federation of Small Business and the TUC, will be led by managing director Paul Champion.

He will be working alongside new team members Judith Jackson, head of employer engagement and Jenny Godden, head of apprenticeships.

The NEAC, created by Gateshead Council and Gateshead College with a regional brief to reduce youth unemployment, will tackle the skills gap and create more than 1,000 new apprentice jobs in the next two years, particularly among small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

It will be handling the recruitment, selection of people as well as providing an HR function for all the apprentices and organising the best training with our panel of outstanding providers.

A former director of work based training provider and owner of a consultancy company Change the Way you Think, Paul Champion’s experience in the training industry will help the NEAC achieve the objective of increasing the number of apprentices the region’s companies employ.

With extensive experience within national and regional employer engagement, Judith Jackson will be working with public and private sector organisations operating in areas such as digital, sport, leisure and tourism, security, contract cleaning and environmental services to promote the benefits of apprentices and increase take up.

Jenny Godden has over 12 years of experience working within the recruitment industry including responsibility for the HR management of a workforce in excess of 2,500 employees.

She will be drawing on this expertise to provide apprentice employees with expert support and guidance to ensure they can make informed decisions about their future careers.

Although based in Gateshead, the NEAC team will cover the whole of the region, from Teesside to the Scottish border – working with local and national companies and local training and education providers to provide opportunities for businesses and young people.

Paul Champion, who knows the benefits of being an apprentice first hand after starting his working career as an engineering apprentice at Charles Taylors & Sons Ltd in South Shields, said the team not only understands employers’ needs but also those of young people seeking apprenticeships.

He said: “We will be working towards removing the barriers that have discouraged employers from hiring in the past to make it easier and more cost effective for them to tap into a new resource of talented, enthusiastic and willing to learn young people.

“Meanwhile, our apprentices will benefit from organised training programmes while gaining skills which are relevant and valuable to employers, who require well trained workforces to enable them take advantage of the economic upturn.”