Category: Etc.
Middlesbrough IT firm marks 10-year milestone with five new apprenticeship vacancies
Have you got the gift of the gab and a passion for IT? AD Network Solutions are recruiting for apprentices.
Seeing the sign go up on their new premises was a proud moment for the team at AD Network Solutions (ADNS).
The culmination of 10 years hard work has seen a step up to larger purpose-designed offices at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Park.
Now the team are marking the occasion by recruiting for three new apprentice IT technical consultants to join the ranks along with two IT technician apprentices.
Commercial Director John Lupton said: “This is a great opportunity for the right people, and, for us, a further chance to grow the business.”
Hitting their official 10-year anniversary last year, John explained: “It has all been very low key so far as it didn’t feel right celebrating at the height of a pandemic.”
So instead, he and Managing Director, Jamie Allinson, struck upon an alternate way to mark the occasion, with the introduction of a brand-new apprenticeship opportunity.
Delivered alongside Stockton Riverside College, and with support from the Tees Valley Mayor and the Combined Authority’s Tees Valley Apprenticeship Support Grant, the technical consultant role will see the new recruits working at the forefront of the business, promoting IT solutions to new and existing clients.
After what has been a challenging year for all, John said: “We are fortunate to be in a position to be able to continue to grow our business. Offering apprenticeship opportunities is a great way to do that.”
With a strong track record for apprenticeship success, ADNS has several team members who started with the company as apprentices, as well as many more who have gone on to progress in the industry.
“For us, it is about being able to grow our own talent,” said John, who is looking for applicants with plenty of passion and drive.
Offering a bespoke mix of IT knowledge, customer service and sales skills, Stockton Riverside College Assessor in Digital and Professional IT, Jamie Gilbey, explained: “We are excited to be working with ADNS to launch this apprenticeship opportunity – which is a first for the college.”
With the digital and IT industry in rapid demand, he said: “In the last 12 months, due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are rapidly becoming a digital workforce. As more companies have had to go digital, they need that IT support.
“This apprenticeship offers another career route for those with an interest in IT, leading to a range of potential roles such as specialist sales consultants, customer support or account management.”
With the potential for progression with ADNS, John said: “These roles are a key component of our business moving forward. We are not just looking for sales people we are looking for applicants who have a real interest in IT and in particular cyber security, data protection and delivery of compliance.”
To find out more about the vacancies visit: Apprentice IT Technical Consultant – Find an apprenticeship (findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk)
Or Level 3 IT Technician Apprentice – Find an apprenticeship (findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk)
Etc. works with new Teesworks Skills Academy to help local people secure jobs
The Education Training Collective (Etc.) is delighted to be working with the new Teesworks Skills Academy to ensure local people have the right skills to fill the jobs being created on the development site.
The group, which incorporates Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College, NETA Training, Bede Sixth Form and The Skills Academy, has been selected as the delivery partner for the academy, leading a consortium which also comprises Darlington, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool Colleges, Teesside University and the Learning Curve Group.
The academy will also work with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council who will use their community-based training and employment hubs to help train local people and enable them to access jobs.
Ofsted gets a virtual insight into life at Etc.
Staff and students at the Education Training Collective (Etc.) have been sharing an insight into college life with a virtual visit from Ofsted.
With routine Ofsted inspections suspended due to the pandemic, inspectors have been carrying out interim visits to help learners, parents, employers and government understand how providers are currently meeting the needs of learners and apprentices.
During the two-day Etc. visit, inspectors heard how the group, which incorporates Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College, Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training and The Skills Academy, has found ways to adapt to the changing circumstances, while ensuring welfare and safety remain a priority.
In a report published today, inspectors said: “Employers and other partner organisations are positive about senior leaders’ response to the challenges of the pandemic. They believe that relationships with college staff are at least as strong now as they were at the start of COVID 19 restrictions. Many partner organisations are optimistic about future collaboration to address local skills gaps.”
Inspectors met with Etc. leaders, managers, staff and learners from across the group in a series of online meetings. They heard how college leaders believed they had been able to “respond successfully to the challenges posed” and that the colleges had been “able to move swiftly into alternative ways of working, including online meetings and remote learning”.
As a result of those moves, student attendance and engagement has been positive, with staff feeding back that learners’ attendance at online sessions during the pandemic did not decline. Staff have gone on to develop their teaching practice to enable them to deliver remote learning sessions and identify when and where face-to-face learning is most essential.
Continuing to build on this new way of working, the report stated: “Teachers have adapted their timetables in response to the different demands of learners’ programmes.”
Chief Executive and Group Principal Phil Cook said: “We were happy to share with Ofsted our experiences of what has undoubtedly been an unprecedented period of challenge for all education providers.
“It is testament to the hard work and dedication of our whole team, including our students, to have inspectors recognise the enormous effort that has gone into ensuring learning has been disrupted as little as possible across the Etc. We have been amazed by the resilience and adaptability shown by all.”
Chairman of the Etc. Governing Board Mark White said: “The response of our leaders, staff and learners to the challenges COVID 19 has posed has been phenomenal. We are proud to see that the Ofsted report released today reflects this.”
Education Training Collective accredited to the matrix standard
The Education Training Collective (Etc.) has been given the official stamp of approval for its work raising students’ aspirations and awareness of potential careers ahead.
The group which incorporates Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College, Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training and The Skills Academy, has been accredited to the matrix Standard.
Matrix is an international quality standard for organisations that deliver information, advice and guidance to support individuals in their choice of career, learning, work or life goals.
The group was particularly praised for its swift and effective use of online platforms during the Covid 19 lockdown period to ensure young people could access the information they needed to support them in achieving their own career aspirations.
“Being able to offer the best advice and guidance we possibly can is a priority for us all as a college group,” said Etc. Group Director of Marketing, Erika Marshall. “For us this means always offering clear, accurate and impartial information that is best for the individual. We are proud to once again have our commitment and efforts recognised by matrix.”
Following a three day remote assessment, assessors fed back that information, advice and guidance (IAG) is “clearly visible” across all stages of the learner journey throughout the group.
In a glowing report they recognised the resources offered to schools to assist in Year 11 transition, with young people and parents encouraged to use the facilities of the group for independent advice and guidance.
The assessors said: “The aims of the IAG service are to offer advice that recruits people on the right course, to remove barriers to learning and to provide advice and support for students to progress.”
This is carried out through a range of services including school visits, careers events, workshops, tutorials, enrichment activities, one-to-one interviews as well as open events, taster sessions and student services drop-ins.
The report stated, in addition: “When a learner ends their study, they are included in the sustained destination monitoring that takes place, during which they are offered further IAG and regular contact to ensure they have sustained their onward destination.”
Highlighting strengths the assessors said: “There is an inspirational and consistent leadership for IAG across the group. Staff are directed to look at aspirations and life readiness rather than focus solely on courses and jobs.”
They said: “The result is that staff feel clear that learners should be at the heart of their work and that challenging societal barriers in localities is a key feature of their support.”
Group Director of Marketing Erika said: “Our responsibility is not just to deliver courses and training but to ensure that we are giving all of our students and learners the guidance to achieve the best possible outcomes for their future careers.”
Roger Chapman, Head of the matrix Service for The Growth Company said: “We believe that at the heart of high-quality advice and support services are strong leadership, excellent service and a focus on continuous improvement, all underpinned by effective use of the resources available. The matrix Standard is designed to benchmark organisations against best practice in these areas. With their accreditation success, the Education Training Collective is working to provide the best possible support to their clients.”
For more information about the matrix Standard please visit: www.matrixStandard.com
Etc. teaching team is going for gold
The Education Training Collective (Etc.) Prince’s Trust staff have been named Silver Award winners at a UK celebration of teaching dubbed “the Oscars” of the education world.
The teaching team has been recognised for their hard work and commitment helping to change young people’s lives.
Among those announced silver title winners in the Pearson National Teaching Awards, the Etc.’s head of department, Gillian Hutchinson, said: “This is fantastic recognition for the team and the work that they do.”
Working with those who may have become disengaged with education or somehow lost their direction along the way, the Etc.’s Prince’s Trust team helps young people to get back on track.
“It’s not always easy and the challenges can be huge,” said Gillian. “But there’s no greater reward than seeing the young people develop new skills, grow their inner confidence and accomplish things that often even surprise themselves.”
With hundreds of Prince’s Trust students moving successfully into employment, further education or training, Gillian said: “For the team it is far more than just a job, giving their time, enthusiasm and commitment to every young person in an effort to help them to achieve.”
Delivering courses at locations across the region, including Stockton Riverside College and Redcar and Cleveland College, the Etc. is one of the largest delivery providers of The Prince’s Trust programmes in England.
They have worked with thousands of young people, with many facing significant challenges in their personal lives.
Selected to receive a Silver Award, the team is now in the running for one of just 14 Gold Awards with the winners to be announced at a televised BBC UK ceremony later this year.
The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, recognising the life-changing impact exceptional teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers can have on young people’s lives. This year marks the celebration’s 22nd year.
Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said: Congratulations to all of our Silver Award winners for their commitment, dedication and passion for their work.
“It is so important to recognise and celebrate teachers, teaching assistants and lecturers for the impact they have on our young people.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “My warmest congratulations go to all this year’s Silver Award winners. They should be proud to receive this recognition of their commitment to the profession, and the outstanding education and guidance they provide for their students.”
Meet the three new governors joining the Etc. board
The Education Training Collective (Etc.) has appointed three new members to its governing board.
Each bringing with them a wealth of unique skills and experience, all have a shared ambition to help the group, and most importantly its students, to achieve further success.
Director of Children’s Services with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Martin Gray, now joins the Etc. corporation board along with Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust’s School Games Organiser for Middlesbrough, Anne Vickers, and with extensive experience in school improvement, most recently as chief advisor at Stockton Borough Council, Vanessa Housley.
Martin Gray 
Anne Vickers 
Vanessa Housley
Martin, as Director of Children’s Services for Stockton, has worked with the colleges that make up the Education Training Collective for many years. He said: “My belief is that in my professional capacity, my responsibility is not simply to run and deliver services, but to ensure we play our full role in supporting and sustaining young people in achieving their own success – something I feel is echoed throughout Etc.”
He added: “I am excited by the opportunities for closer working professionally, but also personally.”
Anne has more than 40 years of experience working in education, mainly as a PE teacher, and she is a driving force when it comes to promoting physical activity. Since retiring as Assistant Head Teacher from Teesside High School, her current role with the Youth Sport Trust and Sport England sees her working with the Tees Valley School Games partnership, planning, organising and delivering a range of inclusive competitions, festivals and leadership courses. She is also a trustee of the Sir William Turner Foundation Trust.
She said: “Having taught for as long as I have, I feel I have gained a great deal of experience and knowledge and I would like to share that working alongside similar minded colleagues who have education at the heart of what they do. I want to continue to help to make a difference to young people.”
Vanessa, whose career has spanned primary, secondary, community and adult education, working in the UK, Australia and the Seychelles, said: “For me, becoming a governor is an opportunity to support young people to achieve their potential so that they can lead safe, happy, healthy, economically independent and fulfilled lives. Of particular interest is maximising the potential of our vulnerable and disadvantaged students.
She added: “I very much look forward to applying my knowledge, skills and experience to support Etc. to celebrate even more future success.”
Chairman of the Etc. governing board Mark White OBE DL said: “It takes a wide range of people, each with a unique skill set, to make up an effective governing board and we believe we have achieved that at the Education Training Collective.
“We are thrilled to now welcome Martin, Anne and Vanessa, to the team and the additional expertise and invaluable experience that each will bring.”