STOCKTON NEWS
Skills – Apprentice welder Aaron Porter has been named ECITB Scholar of the Year .
Premium fashion retailer heads for Teesside Park
NETA scholar brings home national title
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Thornaby welder is celebrating award success after bringing home a national industry title .
Apprentice Aaron Porter , 18 , was named ECITB Scholar of the Year at an awards ceremony at the National Science Museum in London .
“ None of it felt real ,” said the 18-yearold , who was put forward for the award by his welding instructors at Stockton ’ s NETA Training .
“ I had been happy to even be nominated and then to be a finalist . I never expected anything more because of the talent I was up against . The event itself felt like a oncein-a-lifetime experience .”
The ECI Training and Development Awards highlight the efforts of individuals and training providers in the engineering and construction industry .
Former Thornaby Academy pupil Aaron
found himself in the running after impressing the team at NETA , where he was introduced to the skills of his trade on an ECITB-backed welding scholarship .
The industry-led programme , which came with a term-time weekly pay packet , was delivered at NETA in response to predicted future regional skills gaps .
He has continued to put in the legwork , going on to win the Welding Institute Teesside branch City and Guilds ’ Learner of the Year and ultimately securing an apprenticeship with Wilton Engineering this year .
With his proud dad by his side at the red-carpet event , and his mum , brothers and sister all rooting for him at home , Aaron said : “ My family were overwhelmed . I couldn ’ t be prouder to represent NETA and Wilton Engineering because of the belief they have in me .”
Premium fashion brand Tessuti is set to open its doors at Teesside Park next summer .
From its new home in the unit previously occupied by H & M , the store will offer brands including Hugo Boss , Emporio Armani , Billionaire Boys Club , PS Paul Smith and Polo Ralph Lauren . James Air , head of group acquisitions at Tessuti , added : “ Teesside Park is one of the best shopping parks in the UK and was a natural fit for Tessuti .”
Tessuti will join an existing line up of fashion retailers at Teesside Park including JD , River Island , Next , Schuh , New Look and Moss Bros .
Arts and museums given major investment boost
Arts and museums across Stockton have been handed funding totalling more than £ 3.8m over three years .
The Arts Council England investment for National Portfolio Organisations across the country includes cash for the Stockton International Riverside Festival ( SIRF ), Stockton ARC and Tees Valley Museums Group .
The funding , spread from 2023 until 2026 , has been welcomed by SIRF ’ s organisers , Stockton Council .
Councillor Steve Nelson , the council ’ s cabinet member for health , leisure and culture , said : “ The arts have always been hugely important to our area , and this funding means residents in the borough and beyond have so much to look forward to over the next few years .”
50 not out for Tees health club colleagues
Two Bannatyne Health Club colleagues are celebrating 50 years of service between them , as the company marks the 25th anniversary of the opening of its first health club .
North-East regional manager Sue Stockdale and Michelle Kell , who is regional fitness co-ordinator for the North-East and fitness manager at Duncan Bannatyne ’ s very first health club , Ingleby Barwick .
Michelle was the first fitness advisor the business employed and has been at the Tees Valley club for the last 25 years , progressing her career to her present role .
Mr Bannatyne said : “ Well done both of you , you ’ re a credit to the company .”
£ 7m investment to boost energy security
A fast-growing engineering and management services consultancy is driving forward two multi-million-pound projects that are helping to bolster Britain ’ s energy security .
Stockton-based Encora Energy is engaged with an investment team to successfully commission two gas-fired peaking plants in Sunderland and Peterlee .
Often known as “ peakers ”, they are power plants that generally run only during periods of high demand for electricity .
The two plants represent an investment of around £ 7m across their 15-year lifespan , during which the value of the work for Encora will be around £ 1m .
Encora has been involved in these projects since their inception .
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