Aycliffe Today Business AT Business Issue 30 | Page 9

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 9 Engineering great working relationships Family-run engineering company A-Tech have drawn on the experience of DurhamWorks advisors, and received financial help to find a talented young draughtsperson. A-Tech has been operating in the material handling, battery handling and robotic solutions markets for 28 years. Whilst they were keen to invest in young local talent, their previous attempts to find candidates with the relevant skills had been complicated and time consuming. DurhamWorks business advisor Gill Cairns, took the stress out of the recruitment process and matched them with 21-year-old Ben, who they employed as a full-time apprentice draughtsperson. Ben has brought extra capacity to the Design Department, which will have a knock- on effect on A-Tech’s potential business revenue. As an added bonus, Ben can also share the skills that he gains at college with the rest of the team. Company director William Manners said: “Through the help and support from DurhamWorks A-Tech has been able to source a talented young individual, who just needed the opportunity to show his potential. “Ben has become a valuable member of the team, showing great progression as he produces CAD models and drawings to feed Tailored recruitment and training for your business DurhamWorks provides a range of support to businesses and have recently joined forces with Newton Aycliffe-based training company Optimum Skills to help local businesses grow their young workforce. With over four years’ experience, Optimum have supported over 300 young people in the region to find their perfect employer. Recruiting 16 to 24-year-olds can positively impact on everything from performance and productivity to growth, innovation and morale. Optimum are developing a range of DurhamWorks Routeways with local employers to help and support their recruitment needs. The routeways are designed to implement organisations’ company policies and procedures, and can mirror your induction process to cut down on time and resources providing you with work ready employees from day one. Support is FREE and can be tailored to meet your business need. For information on how Optimum Skills can help you access young talent please call 01325 311 832 and ask to speak to a member of the Business Development Team, or email [email protected] “Recruiting 16 to 24-year- olds can positively impact on everything from performance and productivity to growth, innovation and morale.” production after only a few weeks of starting in the position.” If your business is struggling to fill a skills gap, developing employees through training and apprenticeships could be an ideal solution. Contact a business advisor today on 03000 262 930 to find out how DurhamWorks could help. Benefits of Employing Young People > Young people are eager to learn and can be shaped to meet your business needs. > They offer both a sho rt and long-term answer to your skills demands. > They provide a fresh perspective and new ideas – which could unlock new opportunities or solve age-old problems within your organisation. > Their enthusiasm at work can be infectious. Studies show that young people can have a tangible effect on staff morale. > It’s a cost-effective solution to recruitment challenges. DurhamWorks can unlock up to £3,000 of funds towards the cost of taking on a young person. > Our expertise and support in the selection process ensures you’ll find the exact young talent you need to grow and succeed. > Training and mentoring ensures that your young employees continue to develop and become increasingly valuable to the business. > You could have a hand in transforming a young person’s life and giving them the chance they need to fulfil their potential.