Happy Tony cycles to connect with new job

Published by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
9th Jul 2007

DELIGHTED dad Tony Cowan really did get on his bike to land a new job to the delight of grateful bosses at a major Teesside recycling plant and a job-finding project, which has achieved its latest milestone.

Tony would have struggled to get public transport to UK Wood Recycling, based at Wilton, but was happy to cycle to work after the offer of a bike and has now become the 250th job placement organised by the Routes to Employment's Connect scheme.

Tony's arrival ensures the Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council scheme, which manages a number of training and employment projects, has beaten its two-year target to put 250 residents in work by nine months.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Economic Development Councillor Mark Hannon said: "Routes to Employment has gone from strength to strength, extending its services across the Borough and offering an ever-increasing range of training.

"The development of the South Tees Skills Centre has given the team a facility close to many of the employers it wants to work with and offers an excellent training centre for local residents."
European Social Fund funding has enabled training for a total of 392 local residents, covering basic employability training, short construction training, including site safety passport, standby fire, manual handling through to courses in offshore survival, asbestos stripping and rigging.

The project provides some residents with interview clothes, travel and childcare costs and even support with accommodation costs to help to secure jobs away from the area.

The Council's Employment Manager Lisa Watson confirmed: "The key to our success is our relationships with employers. We often make contact well in advance of planned developments.

"When UK Wood Recycling won a contract to feed recycled wood into the new wood burning power station on Wilton site, they were based in Manchester and had no contacts in the Redcar area.

"We called them, offered support in their recruitment campaign and developed a really strong partnership, working closely with them to secure jobs for local people."

Gary Jones, Wilton site manager of UK Wood Recycling, is delighted at the successful link-up. He said: "The Team has been a fantastic support. Not only are they able to find people who are willing and eager to work, but they can help with providing interview facilities and training, which has proved invaluable to a company new to the area and building its own premises."

ENDS

For further information contact Gayle Green on 07766 701479 or email gayle@mcpheeassociates.co.uk