TRAINING
Appointments – High Tide Foundation ’ s general manager Lauren Bywater ( left ) with new trustees Neil Parker and Paula McMahon .
IN EXPERIENCE
WE TRUST
High Tide set to rise , with key appointments and plans for digital growth
WORDS : SARAH WALKER PICTURES : CHRIS BOOTH
G rowth and expansion is on the cards for a Teesside charity , whose digital transformation during the pandemic has enabled it to provide a fascinating interactive insight into potential future careers to more young people than ever .
The High Tide Foundation has made two key trustee appointments and is looking forward to the return of faceto-face work placements in 2022 for those students who have demonstrated they have a passion for a certain sector through participation in the charity ’ s interactive online programmes .
High Tide ’ s online offering is also expected to grow and grow in 2022 , with the familiarity of virtual platforms like Zoom and Teams brought about by the pandemic showing businesses it can be easier than ever to get involved in live engagements with young potential employees of the future .
Mark Easby , chair of The High Tide Foundation , said : “ Prior to the pandemic , the charity was all about physical work experience – getting out of the classroom and meeting professionals in the industry who could give students aged 11 to 19 an insight into career opportunities in their sector .
“ We started to expand into other sectors so the students had access to creative and media businesses , automotive businesses and manufacturing , and they could have a really engaging session with leaders in these fields to understand what their business looks like and what they do .
“ When the pandemic hit , we couldn ’ t do any of that work in person , so we have been through a massive digital transformation over the past 18 months .”
Mark added that 2021 has been about “ piloting ” the digital programmes it quickly developed – and is delighted to say these have proven to be “ incredibly successful ”, with at least 3,500 young people engaging virtually with The High Tide Foundation since June .
132 | Tees Business