TECH
Strong message – Durata electrical estimator Alison Welford is driving the message to school children that there are jobs on Teesside for women in the power industry . as part of the push to inspire the next generation into a career in STEM .
“ We will get some Boro stickers to hand out while we are there ,” joked Middlesbrough supporter John .
Alison added : “ For me it is important for students , pupils , to know the options available to them and about us being role models .
“ The children might be more enthusiastic towards education if they already know what they want to do , what to focus on .
“ Me and Alison ( Welford ) have talked online to primary school teachers , we have looked for ideas about how to introduce different areas of work to the primary schools .
“ A lot of children are still pigeon-holed , girls and boys , into what they should be interested in due to outside influences .
“ We were on there speaking with schools as women who do jobs other than housewives or working in shops . What is clear is that there are children out there who think they should be going down one route or another .”
Durata has been a big supporter of the apprenticeships programme too . Its close links with Middlesbrough College ’ s Northern Skills Group , NETA Training Group and JTL Training creates big opportunities – and that is only set to continue .
Through attending apprenticeship evenings and open evenings at colleges and schools , Durata is also banging the drum to school leavers that there are
other options regardless of ability if you are keen to learn .
Durata is an electrical contractors ’ company which does not just employ electricians . Three have been taken on within the last 12 months and it now employs five others who started out as apprentices .
“ We try to coach , steer and not manage like many would expect ,” said John . “ We like to see people develop with us and hopefully stay with us .
“ You just need to look at our existing workforce . Take Jasmine Smith . When she joined us she was shy , wouldn ’ t talk . Now , as purchasing administrator , there is nothing she does not know about the operation side of this business .
“ Then we have Kaitlyn Sedgewick , a business admin apprentice . Both of them are invaluable . This comes from our policy on apprenticeships .
“ Every one of our staff has started out as an apprentice , even if they were not with us at the start .”
Omar Yousef , project manager , oversees the apprenticeship programme at Durata , having started out as one himself at NG Baileys .
He said : “ The good thing about being here , you are trusted to do your job . John will take on my opinion and I know it matters .
“ There ’ s no better way to run a business than to rely on people and not to baby sit – and John and the team here are brilliant .”
Omar helped his younger brother Mo Yousef through his apprenticeship when he left school .
Now , having served that , he occasionally helps Alison get that message across to the next generation . The 26-year-old project engineer said : “ I went to my old school , Macmillan Academy , to speak with the kids about what we do . A lot of people , especially younger ones , don ’ t realise where it can lead .
“ Many might think it ’ s just electrical or plumbing but it ’ s endless because you can end up being a director of a company – like John has . It ’ s channelling people ’ s thought processes about what is available .”
If its apprentices want to further their careers where they are , Durata is certainly doing something right ?
John said : “ It is about educating the young ones , apprentices or school children , in current technologies , green to green and other power sources .
“ Durata wants the best . The offer we provide , the in-house capability and the calibre of people we have here , means we can attract the best , too .
“ What we do is niche , and we want be the industry leaders .”
For more information on Durata check out duratauk . com .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 63