Valuable lessons in logistics have paid off for students at Stockton Riverside College and SRC Bede Sixth Form.
For one student it has resulted in a life changing job offer, while another is now in the running for a national award.
This week the Logistics Academy students marked the culmination of their efforts with a dedicated awards ceremony.
With a higher apprenticeship job offer from PD Ports, SRC Bede student Jacob Moat said: “It really has changed my life.”
Part of the college’s drive to raise young people’s awareness of the logistics sector and help plug future skills gaps, the Career Ready Logistics Academy gives students the chance to take part in a series of sector-based masterclasses and site visits alongside their full-time courses. They also work with a mentor and take part in an industry placement.
Studying A level business, economics and media, 18-year-old Jacob, from Billingham, signed up to the programme as a way to boost his CV.
A four-week internship at PD Ports working in the property department shaped his ambitions. With his sights now set on a career in commercial property management and chartered surveying, he said: “I never expected them to offer me a job. I am ecstatic.”
Celebrating her own standout success, Stockton Riverside College business student Toni Gatenby has found herself shortlisted for the national Career Ready Logistics Student of the Year 2019 title.
Describing the moment she was told, she said: “I felt a bit numb when I first found out, then I felt excited and nervous.”
It is a big leap for the 17-year-old from Stockton who admitted, up until she started the course, she had never even heard of logistics.
Now heading to a glittering awards ceremony in London, she will be joined by the college’s work based learning co-ordinator, Ruth Cabourne, who has been named regional winner of the Santander Employability Champion of the Year for the North of England and Wales.
Heading up the Tees Valley Logistics Academy, Stockton Riverside College’s Michael Duffey said: “The success we are seeing coming out of our Career Ready Logistics Academy is fantastic. It is amazing to see students, staff and employers reaping the benefits.”
Working closely with logistics industry leaders and employers to identify the needs of the sector, the Tees Valley Logistics Academy is a service created to meet the training needs of the sector and raise awareness of logistics among young people.
Receiving his own recognition award on the evening, PD Ports’ Jim French, a founding member of the academy, was given an Outstanding Contribution award for his dedication and efforts.
He said: “I have had a career in logistics that has done me well for almost 50 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a great industry to be in and I have enjoyed every minute. I wanted to give something back and to see the students progress gives me a great deal of satisfaction.”
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