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Bosses pledge support to ground-breaking Leeds Foundation

Yorkshire bosses have pledged their time and expertise to mentor and support students at a pioneering Foundation which will create hundreds of job opportunities in South Leeds over the next few years.

MDs have signed up to The Bayford Foundation which will run and pay trainees to embark on rolling 12-week training and development programmes in sales. The course will create 40 jobs in the energy industry in the short term.

The Foundation is spearheaded by, and will be run from, new offices in the existing premises of Hunslet-based BE Fuel Cards which supplies BP fuel cards to UK businesses.

Trainees from all walks of life will benefit from the vast experience of BE Fuel Cards senior team who have held senior positions with The Bayford Group which started its life as a coal merchant back in 1919.

Said John Turner chairman of The Bayford Group who is a patron of The Bayford Foundation: “Bayford’s history is steeped in Hunslet when survivors of the First World War decided to pool their resources to establish a coal agent’s business. The Foundation is all about investing in jobs for the future and putting something back into local communities to generate vibrant employment opportunities.”

Companies including Eversheds, Emerging Real Estate, business continuity and information security specialist Agenci Information Security (AIS) - along with business development organsations - will mentor trainees and give guest lectures in line with the holistic nature of the rolling programmes.

Richard Bosworth who facilitates What If Forums for owner managed businesses described the Foundation as a hybrid between Britain’s Got Talent and The Apprentice - while Christopher Ripley from Eversheds applauded its level of commitment to developing and training its recruits.

Said AIS MD Gary Hibberd: “The concept of The Bayford Foundation is inspirational and I’m looking forward to being involved It will give those who may be out of work an opportunity to shine and be the best that they can be.”

Tim Morgan, MD of Emerging Real Estate commented: “Finding good sales staff is a perennial issue – as we know from first-hand experience. Giving trainees the chance to learn from the best while paying them is a tremendous opportunity for the right people. I’m definitely signing up.”

Sports psychologist Simon Hartley of Be World Class, who coached double Olympian and Commonwealth champion swimmer Chris Cook for seven years, described the Foundation as both life-changing and sustainable.

He commented: “It has been designed to seek out people of all age groups and cultures who have the potential to be better than they are – and gives them the opportunity to change their lives for ever. I’ll be delighted to help with both mentoring and guest speaking.”

The Bayford Foundation will invest up to £5,000 to put each recruit through the training programme and pay them a salary for its 12-week duration. Successful candidates will be awarded a university recognised qualification which is equivalent to an A Level and progress to earn a minimum £16k annual salary.

Auditions with a difference will take place at the Hunslet Club in Hillidge Road on Saturday, July 6 from 2pm-5pm to recruit the first wave of trainees for the inaugural boot camp which will take off later that month.

Said Foundation leader June Forsyth: “With latest statistics highlighting that Britain faces a shortfall of almost 400,000 jobs for young people and older workers more likely to suffer long term unemployment than their younger counterparts – The Bayford Foundation is offering a life transforming springboard for the right people to aspire to heights that they may have previously only dreamed of.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by June Forsyth .