2 February 2018

Young people in Walsall celebrate career achievements at Skills Training UK

Photo caption: (learners left-right) Lyndsey Parker, Asiyah Begum, Pamju Uppol, Chelsea Parke, Niamh Harvey and Promise Eze

Young people who are turning their lives around by gaining vital skills and experience to help secure full-time employment have had their success recognised alongside local business leaders and other key partners.

The special celebration event recognised the achievements of young people in Walsall and the surrounding area enrolled on courses with independent training provider Skills Training UK.

The 20 learners – aged 16-24, many of whom struggled at school, need extra educational support or face challenging circumstances at home – all received certificates to acknowledge their progress.

They were joined by the Mayor of Walsall, who delivered an inspiring speech to  learners before handing out individual certificates to learners. The Mayor of Walsall, councillor Marco Longhi said,  “Never give up on your learning, with a positive attitude nothing can stop you achieving”.

By enrolling with Skills Training UK young people grow in confidence, gain new skills and qualifications and undertake vital work placements – allowing them to find full-time employment or continue their learning into an Apprenticeship of further education.

Pamju Uppol, 24, from Billston, was given an award for her learner journey, having completed qualifications in English and retail, as well as undertaking a work placement at Pets At Home, Walsall. She said, “The tutors have really helped me build my confidence and provided me with the opportunities to use my skills in a practical setting. I feel more prepared for my future and now have some practical experience on my CV.”

Promise Eze, 22, who lives in Wolverhampton, was a previous Skills Training UK Walsall student and has since completed her qualifications and started a Law degree at university. She was awarded the ‘Outstanding, Outstanding Achievement’ award. She said, “Coming to Skills Training has made me realise I have what it takes to move forward with my career. They supported me in getting the English qualifications I needed to apply for university.”

The Skills Training Walsall Centre, recently re-located to bigger premises at Townsend House in Park Street. The new centre has a positive environment for learners to grow and develop skills in communication, teamwork and employability, as well as gain qualifications in English, maths and ICT.

The new central location has helped Skills Training build on new and existing relationships with employer partners and referral agencies, many who were in attendance of the celebration event.

Ole Jenson, Business developer from Walsall Inductive Components, has been working with Skills Training UK for many years, offering business administration work placements to many of the young learners. He said, “The relationship with Skills Training UK is very positive. Most of the learner that work with us already have the skills they need for the world of employment, and putting these skills in to practice really helps to build their confidence.”

Photo caption: Ole Jenson, Business Developer from Walsall Inductive Components with the Mayor of Walsall, councillor Marco Longhi

Through strong partnerships with employers, as well as with schools, local authorities and other agencies, including housing and health, Skills Training UK offers the hardest to reach a chance to take their first steps towards employment or continued learning.

Graham Clarke, said: “We are very proud to celebrate the positive progress that all of our learners have made since joining our programmes. It’s fantastic to see how far they have come and how much they have achieved in such a short space of time. We wish everyone the best of luck as they embark on the next steps in their careers or future education.”

Find out more about our Traineeships and Study programme here.