North East technology specialist Mesma has appointed two new apprentices as it launches a recruitment drive to develop home grown talent to improve customer support and software services.
The Sunderland firm has created three new apprentice roles to sit alongside its drive to provide Kickstart placement opportunities for young people and its annual provision of high-quality final year work-based projects to local universities for undergraduate students.
The move comes as Mesma has hired Harry Byrne as a software developer apprentice and Ben Chorlton as a business development executive apprentice, whose apprenticeship training is being provided by Baltic Training and Education Partnership North East respectively.
Mesma is used by a range of education and employment support providers and regulatory and accreditation bodies to simplify complex QA processes, ensuring management information is used to target resources in the areas that have the most impact on the quality of learner and customer experience and outcomes.
The company, which currently employs eight people, continues to pursue UK and international growth plans that will see its annual turnover increase to £600,000 in the next 12 months. Current customers include Skills Development Scotland and the Department for Education.
Supporting alternative routes into skilled roles is at the heart of Mesma’s growth plans. As well as its internal appointments, senior leaders work closely with other businesses to share the value apprenticeships and T Level industry placements can bring to their HR strategy and want to see other enterprises develop new opportunities, particularly in the current climate when it’s becoming harder to recruit experience at a cost that is affordable for SMEs.
Founder and CEO Louise Doyle, who also coaches school outreach ambassadors in local universities, and through her school governance roles encourages careers awareness from primary school age, says it’s important to invest in developing early-stage skills.
She said: “We’re delighted to welcome Harry and Ben, who reflect our commitment to developing our own talent. They also reflect a broader emphasis in encouraging high quality careers guidance in schools aligned with technical education.
“Indeed, no business is too small to create opportunities, particularly in the current climate when it’s becoming harder to recruit skilled people at a cost that is affordable for SMEs.”