Apprentice star hosts 'graduation' ceremony for long-term unemployed » Housing » 24dash.com

Residents in east Manchester were celebrating today at a star studded graduation ceremony as they officially moved into employment, some for the first time.

The 130 local residents have secured jobs at the new Tesco Extra store in Gorton.

The graduation ceremony was hosted by Tim Campbell, Sir Alan Sugar’s first TV apprentice, at Gorton Monastery.

The graduates include single parents, older people who have been made redundant, younger people who have never worked and residents who have been claiming incapacity benefit. The youngest graduate is aged 17 and the oldest is 63.

The new supermarket is a Tesco Regeneration Partnership store and focuses on providing training and employment opportunities for people who have been out of work for more than six months.

The Partnership store brings together a number of key organisations including New East Manchester, Work Solutions, Jobcentre Plus, The Manchester College, Manchester City Council, the Learning and Skills Council and SureStart.

This unique Partnership has worked with the long-term unemployed over the summer, helping them through an intensive training course to prepare them for entering into the world of work.

The training, delivered by Work Solutions, included team working and confidence building and life skills.

Tesco’s flagship store is set to open its doors in the new Gorton District Shopping Centre on Monday, October 27, playing a key role in the regeneration of the area.

Michael Kissman, Corporate Affairs Manager for Tesco, said: “The graduation ceremony was an excellent opportunity for us to celebrate the success of the people who have worked hard to complete their training.

"They have demonstrated a tremendous amount of commitment throughout each stage of the recruitment process, and we are delighted to welcome them to the Tesco team.

“There is often a stigma which hangs over the long-term unemployed, which from our experience here in Gorton and elsewhere is completely wide off the mark.

"This graduation ceremony is a clear demonstration that local employment partnerships work and that this group of people on benefits have genuinely wanted to get back into work.”

Among those who will benefit from the Gorton scheme include single mum of six, Denise McGlade. Other graduates include Stuart Bagwell, who has cerebral palsy, married couple Lisa and Glen McMellon, 22-year-old Martin Wills and 53-year-old Jimmy Jackson.

Farzana Hussain, Openshaw Jobcentre Manager said: “A third of all the customers who graduated are lone parents. Customers like Denise McGlade send out a really positive message to other lone parents. Going back to work can really improve the quality of life for you and your family.”

More than 2,000 long-term unemployed people from Gorton and the surrounding area registered their interest to join the partnership; 700 went through an interview skills session before being interviewed and just over 130 were successful.

To mark the team’s success in acquiring new skills, Tim Campbell gave a keynote speech during the graduation ceremony.

Since appearing on reality TV, the charismatic 30-year-old has set up a male-grooming business and launched The Bright Ideas Trust aimed at inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Tim Campbell said: “It was brilliant to hear the powerful testimonies of the graduates and to see the amazing outcomes that can be achieved when companies like Tesco fully commit to their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes and engage the communities they serve.

The achievements of the graduates are to be applauded and act as an example to others as to what can be done with determination and effective support. The work of the local employment partnership here in Gorton is perfectly aligned with the work of my organisation the Bright Ideas Trust which is why I was privileged enough to support the achievements at the ceremony.”

As part of the programme, Tesco’s new recruits were entered onto an eight week training programme, provided by Work Solutions, to guarantee them a job. This guarantee is one that no other UK employer matches.

Ian Kerr, Work Solutions’ Employer Services Director, said: “Over the last few weeks, we have seen hundreds of local residents who have expressed an interest in working at Tesco’s Gorton store. After narrowing the applicants down to the 130 graduates we see today, the whole team was inspired by the effort they put in to learn skills, gain experience and ultimately succeed.

“Everyone on the course has an amazing story to tell. That the partnership has helped them to succeed makes each story brighter, and I am delighted that we have played a part in their progress.”

Eddie Smith, Chief Executive of New East Manchester, said: “Providing the training and skills that local people need to take advantage of the employment opportunities created by major investment is crucial to the success of our work to improve the quality of life for the people of east Manchester.

"It is very rewarding to see so many people who have gone from having no job to making a commitment to improving their skills and becoming valuable employees with a much brighter future ahead of them.

“This is a clear demonstration that regeneration is not just about investment in buildings, important though that is, but is also about enabling people to benefit from and contribute to the economic improvements in the area.”

John Temple, LSC Director of Area for Greater Manchester, said: “This project is a wonderful example of how specialist training and support can bring real change to individuals and to the community, and I wish all the participants every success in their new careers.”