FEATURE
Wander Films co-founder Lou Tonner with apprentice Tom Styan , who says he ’ s learning new skills from every project he works on .
A RISING TIDE
How Northern Skills Group is helping a wave of apprentices take over on Teesside
Building the right skills within your workforce is one of the most important ingredients for any business ’ s success .
And Northern Skills Group ’ s apprenticeship programmes are designed with both learners and businesses in mind .
The apprenticeship and training arm of Middlesbrough College partners with businesses across the region to provide vital apprenticeship support , helping to upskill the region and boost the local economy .
And now , a wave of new apprentices are taking over on Teesside , in sectors such as accountancy , business administration , customer service , engineering and management , to name a few .
Harry Henderson , 24 , from Middlesbrough , secured his dream apprenticeship with the town ’ s digital marketing specialists Mabo Media and is tapping into specialist training both on the job and through the college .
He says : “ Whether you ’ ve just left school or , like in my case , are an older student looking for a career change , an apprenticeship with Northern Skills Group is the perfect entry into the industry .
“ The beauty of my Level 3 Digital Marketer course is that it covers so many facets that are so relevant to the industry – meaning I can put my knowledge straight into practice in the workplace .”
Elsewhere , digital marketing apprentice Tom Styan was already working in a design role but made a life-changing decision to return to education – leading
to this new role at another fast-growing Middlesbrough firm , Wander Films .
The 25-year-old , also from Middlesbrough , smiles : “ I absolutely love my apprenticeship . It ’ s very hands-on and I ’ m constantly learning new skills from each project I work on .
“ The team is incredible and I ’ m soaking up so much valuable knowledge . Equally , at the college I ’ m getting so much support from my tutor Chloe – you know she genuinely cares about her students and is always there to help .
“ Apprenticeships are a great route into the workplace . You ’ re able to acclimatise to a role before you ’ re thrown in at the deep end , all while building the right skills for the job .”
As well as its work with apprentices , the team at Northern Skills Group has proven to be a critical source of support for employers across the region , including Wander Films co-founder Lou Tonner . “ Apprentices bring a whole new perspective to the work we do for our clients ,” says Lou . “ We love bringing on apprentices that are creative and who really want to learn .
“ It ’ s a big part of our strategy – and success – to have that mix of existing skills and future talent . It ’ s an investment from both sides but it is so worth it for both the apprentice and the employer .
“ Two of our former apprentices gained distinctions and were taken on fulltime . They ’ ve since been promoted and now lead their own teams . To witness their career progression makes you
Matt Telling , head of employer engagement at Northern Skills Group .
incredibly proud and it ’ s why we ’ d always recommend apprenticeships to other businesses .”
Northern Skills Group is the delivery training partner of choice for some of the region ’ s biggest employers including the NHS , CPI and British Steel , to name a few .
Matt Telling , head of employer engagement at Northern Skills Group , said : “ We ’ re proud to work with so many leading businesses across the region to provide apprenticeship programmes that not only give students invaluable , handson experience in work environments , but also adapt training to the needs of the business and build loyalty with the young staff .
“ Apprenticeships can encompass a whole range of different training methods that can be tweaked and modified to suit a business ’ s needs . It ’ s a cost-effective way to recruit new staff and incorporate them into your business growth strategy .”
Northern Skills Group has trained more than 2,000 apprentices , putting it in a strong position to help shape the economic landscape of the region . For more information and advice on how your business could benefit from an apprentice , visit northernskills . co . uk / employers .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 103