Member Article

Darren starts new year job with cycle store

A 21-year-old North East man is all geared up for work in 2015, thanks to the joint efforts of Northumberland Adult Learning Service, a North Shields cycle dealership and Ingeus, which delivers the government’s Work Programme throughout the region.

Darren Blake from Blyth has just won a nationally-advertised cycle mechanics’ apprenticeship and is now planning to gain recognised City & Guilds qualifications in cycle maintenance and engineering. At the same time he is putting the many skills he is developing to good use at the Royal Quays Cycle Centre in North Shields.

It’s a stark contrast for Darren, who has just spent a frustrating year out of work and looking for a job. His local Jobcentre Plus office referred him to Ingeus and, as a result, he developed his employment skills, including refining his CV, learning interview techniques and, with the guidance of his advisor, searched for jobs that really interested him. Knowing he would be up against stiff competition but determined to succeed, Darren was encouraged to apply for the cycle apprenticeship with Northumberland County Council’s Adult Learning Service and was thrilled to hear soon after that he had been selected.

“This apprenticeship is everything I ever wanted!” said Darren. “I’m learning a lot about cycles, how to build them and how to keep them in tip-top condition. As well as that, I am developing customer service skills including everything I need to work in a busy cycle dealership. This time next year I will have qualifications and experience of real value.”

Darren is following in the tracks of 22-year-old Jonny Lyon, a former apprentice who completed the course last year and has already been promoted to Head Mechanic at the Royal Quays Cycle Centre’s busy store.

“I also learnt the theory and the practical ways of maintaining cycles, and I qualified as a cycle mechanic whilst working here at Royal Quays,” he said. “It’s the best thing I ever did and I hope it all works out for Darren, too.”

Store manager Richard McLean added, “It’s really great to be able to help Darren, and before him, Jonny, and to give them the support they need to start their careers. It makes sense to employ apprentices in our business because the knowledge needed for cycle maintenance is changing all the time. It’s good for us and our customers to have people who have been taught so well.”

“Through Ingeus and Northumberland’s Adult Learning Programme, and with the support of employers such as the Royal Quays Cycle Centre, we’re opening doors for many jobseekers in this region,” added Deborah Mahoney from Ingeus. “Darren has a great attitude and will succeed. He just needed pointing in the right direction and we’re confident he’s now on the road to a successful career.”

Ingeus is one of the UK’s leading welfare-to-work providers, delivering employability services to support unemployed people into lasting work. The company offers a free recruitment service to employers which ranges from CV-sifting to hosting full recruitment days and continues to support new employees for up to two years once they start work, helping employers to increase staff retention.

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