TRAINING
Meeting – Acklam Hall hosts a meeting with some of the High Tide team , including ( from left ) trustee Michael Shakesheff , programme coordinator Owain Brennan , chairman Mark Easby and trustees Neil Parker and Paula McMahon .
Mark said : “ Since we started up in 2012 , we have provided work placements for about 20,000 young people .
“ The figure was at about 14,000 before the start of the pandemic , so it just shows the impact of our digital transformation .
“ This doesn ’ t include the number using the online learning hub – where we have careers information , behind the scenes work experience videos and real-life career stories from our business members – so there could be thousands more visiting that and watching the inspirational videos on there .”
The charity ’ s digital offering now sits centrally within the careers information and work placements it provides , helping to increase its success at connecting businesses within the programme and work placements with potential future employees and showcasing career opportunities in their sector .
“ The benefit of our digital offering is that we can reach more young people on a placement and make sure that those who come onto our physical placements are the ones that have shown they are really engaged – and we get the right young people into the right businesses in sectors that are of interest to them ,” Mark explained .
New trustees Neil Parker and Paula McMahon will also bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in 2022 .
As an experienced entrepreneur , vastly successful when it comes to financial governance and as a longtime friend and supporter of High Tide ,
Neil will now help the foundation move forward as a trustee .
“ Neil is passionate about making sure that opportunities and support are available for younger people ,” said Lauren Bywater , general manager of the foundation .
“ He was once in a position where he hated his job , so he put in all his holidays and retrained in financial planning , so his passion for making sure there ’ s a lot of support available for young people comes from there .”
Neil said : “ We ’ ve worked with High Tide for many years as a local company so it was a natural progression for me when I was asked to join as a trustee .
“ Other than being a Teessider born and bred , I was asked to bring financial planning skills to help High Tide develop and deliver on a business plan to provide as many opportunities to young people across the region as possible .
“ I ’ m looking forward to getting stuck in and seeing the good work on the ground and working with the other trustees and High Tide Colleagues .”
Speaking of Paula ’ s appointment , Lauren said : “ Paula is such an inspiration for young females and has talked about the challenges she ’ s experienced as a female engineer .
“ She ’ s also just recently won the Lifelong Inspiration award at the Tees Businesswomen Awards .”
Lauren explained Paula has a key position with Sir Robert McAlpine , which is heavily committed to apprenticeships and schools , as well as being the regional Institution of Civil Engineers ( ICE ) supervisor and mentor .
Paula also chairs two engineering organisations aimed at helping young people in their own careers .
“ I have been working with High Tide for a few years as a STEM ambassador ,” said Paula .
“ I ’ m particularly drawn to working with them because I can relate to the young people of the Tees Valley they support and I keep coming back to work with them due to the great High Tide team who make it very easy for an employer to contribute .
“ I very much look forward to the coming year , working alongside the diverse High Tide trustees to provide the delivery of interactive , exciting and meaningful work experience to many more students .”
Lauren believes the fact the foundation has attracted these “ two big players ” to the board shows there are exciting times ahead for High Tide .
“ It also reinforces that we are in a really strong place with our digital transformation and our wider programme offer ,” she added .
“ We have just taken some new offices at the launchpad at Teesside University for graduate startup businesses and our already strong partnership with Teesside University is growing .
“ We are part of that learning and careers journey for young people on Teesside and we want to show other young people these are the options that you ’ ve got after school and college on Teesside .
“ Hopefully , this will inspire them to go on and learn more about working in whatever sector they are interested in .”
For more information about the High Tide Foundation , visit hightidefoundation . co . uk .
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