Local skills provider continues to grow
Newtonian Charley Haigh is now manager of Optimum Skills ’ Aycliffe hub .
OPTIMUM
Local skills provider continues to grow
PERFORMANCE
Optimum Skills have fasttracked Charley Haigh ’ s career progression after she first joined the training provider in 2020 .
The new manager of Optimum Skills ’ Newton Aycliffe hub credits her own journey is proof of just what the North-East training and apprenticeship provider can do to help you .
Charley Haigh joined Optimum Skills in 2020 after serving as a Level 2 and 3 recruitment apprentice with a recruitment agency after leaving Queen Elizabeth College in Darlington four years earlier with her A-levels .
Born and bred in Newton Aycliffe , the 26-year-old , a former Greenfield Community College pupil , was then offered a full-time role with Optimum Skills .
Over the last few years she has progressed from being a member of the recruitment team to the development side of the business and now she has been promoted to manager of the Newton Aycliffe training academy .
“ I experienced first-hand how Optimum Skills can develop people ,” said Charley .
“ This is a great place to work , really caring , and we are passionate about supporting ambitions .
“ With me living in Aycliffe too , I want to see local people and businesses succeed . It ’ s all about providing training and education opportunities to optimise people ’ s potential .”
Similar stories run through the business . Kayleigh Lowdon started with Optimum Skills as a digital marketing Level 3 apprentice in 2018 and is now a marketing executive . She is looking to take on a new marketing apprentice .
Optimum Skills celebrates its tenth birthday in October and has grown from a company with a few employees focused on traineeships to a 50-strong workforce that delivers high quality training and apprenticeships .
Its first Ofsted rating 12 months ago was ‘ good ’ and included plenty of positive feedback from learners , employers , referral partners and employees as well .
24 | Aycliffe Business