TRAINING &
APPRENTICESHIPS
Sponsored by px Group
WINNER:
NIFCO
Nifco were proud maiden winners of the
Training & Apprenticeships category
at the first-ever Tees Businesswomen
Awards.
Part of Japan headquartered Nifco
Inc, the firm employs 650 people in the
manufacture of plastic components used
in the engines, interiors and exteriors of
cars made by UK manufacturers.
The company has grown into one of the
North-East’s most successful businesses
by consistently investing in people, with
more than £285,000 a year spent on
training.
Nifco offers a fully-inclusive training
programme, and getting females into
engineering and manufacturing is integral
to its recruitment and training strategy.
It offers Egglescliffe School shadow
opportunities with female engineers, and
delivers two cadetship programmes and
at least four industrial cadetships annually.
Nifco’s HR manager Frances Hoy was at
Wynyard Hall to collect the award.
She said: “It’s absolutely fantastic, and
it’s down to the work that Nifco does.
“It’s for the local economy – whether
it’s for Nifco, for manufacturing or for
engineering, we just want to encourage
and demonstrate the opportunities
that we’ve got in this local area, and in
particular for females.
“It’s really special that we do have
females who want to come and work for
our company.
“We’ve got a lovely working
environment and there are lots of career
opportunities for travel and a good
standard of living, and we will continue to
promote in schools and colleges.
“Our industry is becoming a more and
more attractive proposition for young
females in this area.”
Frances Hoy (right) receives the Training and Apprenticeships award
on behalf of Nifco from Katie Woods-Ruddick of category sponsors px Group.
Stephanie Dring of Hunters Teesside.
RUNNER-UP:
Erica Turner of Jacksons Law.
RUNNER-UP:
Hunters Teesside Jacksons Law
Over the past five years, Hunters Teesside
has regularly topped the Hunters group
for most property sales and most
properties let across the national network
of 200-plus franchises. Featuring an
almost entirely female workforce, they are
now challenging to become Teesside’s
second biggest estate agent and are
committed to raising standards with their
own training programmes.
Always looking to promote from within,
all Hunters Teesside staff undergo training
and refresher courses. And every team
member is registered on the Hunters
Training Academy, where they must
complete a series of modules alongside
regular training, all working towards a
Hunters national qualification. Jacksons Law firm offers a wide range of
legal services to businesses and private
clients across the North-East – and it
always recognises the need to train
its 69 staff. A female member of the
accounts team is currently taking the
Association of Accounting Technicians
course, while Jacksons has three
business administration apprentices, two
of them female.
The firm has four female trainees,
and all three of its paralegals are
female. In addition, Jacksons run liaison
programmes with local schools and
colleges and provide work experience,
and take at least two trainee solicitors
each year onto a two-year regulated
training programme.
SPONSOR’S MESSAGE
px Group head of HR Katie Woods-Ruddick: “At px we were
delighted to be part of the inaugural Tees Businesswomen
Awards, which provided an opportunity to recognise the
contribution that women are making to business and the
economy in our region.
“It was inspiring listening to the achievements of all the
nominees and winners and once again highlighting the
many career opportunities for women and it has definitely
put Tees Businesswomen on the map.”