New apprenticeship benefits North East charity

A Newcastle charity has become one of the first in the North East to benefit from a new apprenticeship designed by employers, to better meet the administration needs of a modern-day business.

Access Training has recruited Olivia Pringle, 20, for youth development charity, NE Youth.

Olivia is one of the first apprentices to enrol on the new Business Administrator Apprenticeship Standard, at Level 3, which has been improved, in consultation with employers, to ensure the skills covered are bang up-to-date and relevant.

The new qualification gives apprentices a broader range of expertise – including quality assurance and report writing which were not previously included. It also covers managing and implementing change and coaching and mentoring in much more detail than the previous apprenticeship.

Gateshead-based Access Training has introduced a programme of off-the-job training sessions for apprentices to offer added value to employers by complimenting and bolstering the one-to-one training that happens within the workplace.

Head of Operations at NE Youth, Gemma Lockyer Turnbull, said: “We went to Access for help with recruiting an apprentice because we’ve worked with them before and their staff are really good and friendly. They found us a brilliant match in Olivia, really quickly. Within four weeks of us requesting an apprentice, we had Olivia in place.

“Our admin requirements are very broad – from general office tasks, to invoicing, to reception duties, to communication, to report writing and the new apprenticeship standard is working very well for us – and for OIivia.”

Olivia is currently working on a major project that will see NE Youth’s young ambassador, singer Channy, become the first-ever unsigned artist to play a concert at the Metro Radio Arena. Fifty-percent of the profits from the gig, on 17 December, will go to NE Youth to spend on providing practical support to youth clubs and services.

Malcolm Armstrong, Managing Director at Access Training, said: “A business today looks very different to one from ten years ago so it’s only right that the new apprenticeship standard was introduced and the feedback we’ve been getting from employers is incredibly positive.”