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People 1^st Training is proud to announce that two of our learners were recognised in the Department for Employment & Learning, Essential Skills Awards, in Hillsborough Castle on 28^th March 2012. Banbridge learner, Peter Williamson, who works as a care assistant for adults with learning disabilities, won not only the County Down award but was also named the Northern Ireland Essential Skills Learner of the Year. Aaron Granville, an Ormeau House learner, was highly commended in the County Antrim category.

Peter attended the presentation ceremony in Hillsborough Castle along with his wife Libby to receive both his awards. Catherine Byrne, Essential Skills tutor, and Heather McBride, manager of the Banbridge office, accompanied Peter to represent People1st at the ceremony and celebrate his success.

“These awards are a wonderful acknowledgement of Peter’s hard work and dedication to improving his skills. He has had to overcome many barriers on the way to achieving his Essential Skills qualifications; I am delighted for him, it is a marvellous recognition for both him and People 1^st Training,” said Catherine.

Aaron, who completed Essential Skills Level 1 as part of his NVQ in Warehousing, has been attending further ES classes at the Ormeau Road office in his own time, as his aim is to complete both subjects at Level 2.

Joanne Nordmann, Aaron’s Essential Skills Tutor at People 1^st, who also attended the ceremony said,

“I nominated Aaron for an Essential Skills Award because I was impressed by his commitment and his enthusiasm for learning.  Aaron, who works for Chain Reaction Cycles, completed Level 1 Application of Number and Communication with me as part of his NVQ in Warehousing but wanted to move up to Level 2 and so has been using his annual leave to attend classes in Ormeau House over the last number of months.  And he’s not just studying for his Essential Skills qualifications – he has also completed a number of other courses with the aim of qualifying as a personal fitness trainer.  I am really proud of Aaron’s achievement and it was great that we could celebrate it with a lovely lunch on a gloriously sunny day in Hillsborough Castle, along with the other winners.”

Aaron added, “I want to keep learning and to develop myself as much as possible.  I also want to spread the word to others that further learning can help them achieve their professional goals in life and that this, in turn, will give them the confidence to help them achieve any other goals they set for themselves – as it has done for me.”

People 1^st Training have been awarded the tender for the Get into Care Programme with the Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland.

Ashleigh’s story

 Ashleigh's traumatic upbringing started when she was sexually abused at a young age. At the age of five she was diagnosed with ADHD, which held her back at school and led to bullying. She had a lonely childhood, having to deal with many family problems, and left full time education with no qualifications or experience of the real world.

She left home at 18 and got in with the wrong crowd, taking diazepam to block out the pain she was going through. Ashleigh also spent much of her time visiting her father, who suffered from alcohol problems and mental illness. In 2009 she suffered a miscarriage and a year later her father committed suicide.

These events shattered Ashleigh, and along with many rejections for jobs, she tried to take her own life in 2009. At an all-time low, Ashleigh heard about The Prince's Trust Get into Social Care programme in February 2011. She went on a taster day and was stunned to be selected for the course from 24 other interviewees.

The Prince’s Trust Get into courses are free programmes for young people who want to find work in a particular sector. 

As well as gaining first aid and care certificates, she has successfully secured a job, which has put her on the path to her dream job of working with people with mental health issues. She is looking forward to going to university one day and is making great strides in her personal and professional life.

She said,

"The Prince's Trust staff are so supportive, hands on and dedicated. They made the course an absolute delight, and saw something in me I never knew I had. I will be eternally grateful to them for taking a chance on me."

Representatives from People 1^st Training attended the 2012 Management and Leadership Conference in University of Ulster, Belfast on 29^th February.

Bill Manson, Director of Podiem, the company organising the event, gave this overview of the day;

"Attendees at the Management and Leadership Conference were treated to a fascinating line up of speakers ranging from John Bird, who managed to transform from a life of homelessness and crime to become an advisor to the Government on homelessness, poverty and the need to up-skill people to become economically active, to Bill McCallion, Consultant Pediatrician, sharing his experiences in life and death situations. Sandwiched in between, we heard how Stuart Harvey developed his information technology business to become one of the most successful and largest financial acquisitions companies in the financial service sector and from Annie Rooney, co-founder of one of Belfast’s newest brands, Suki Tea. Feedback has been tremendous with Bill McCallion’s 3 A’s – Ability - Availability - Affability - being the most widely quoted as the ‘message to take away’."

The conference was attended by businesses from all over Northern Ireland, including leading banks, accountants, recruitment agencies, hotels, and Government agencies.

Sinead O’Neill, Career Mentor from People 1^st Training, found that the conference was an excellent networking opportunity;

"Along with the informative speakers, the event was a great opportunity to network and promote the Management Apprenticeship Programme. So many businesses that we spoke to have company-specific training in place for their staff, on IT systems for example, but nothing for the development of their managers. They seemed very interested in the courses that we had to offer and the benefits that they would have for their business."

If you would like more information on Management Apprenticeships or other training opportunities that People 1^st offer, please visit www.people-1st.co.uk or call 02890 875 875.

DFPF Ltd (t/a Dairy Farm Training & People 1^st) has been named as one of Ireland’s ‘Best Managed’ companies in the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards Programme. In total, twenty companies which demonstrated superior business performance were recognised at a gala awards dinner in the Burlington Hotel in Dublin on 2 March 2012. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD was special guest speaker at the event.

The Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards Programme, in association with Irish Life Corporate Business, recognises indigenous Irish companies across the island of Ireland which are operating at the highest levels of business performance.

Commenting on the award, Bernadette Daly, Managing Director of DFPF Ltd (trading as Dairy Farm Training & People 1^st) said: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as a Best Managed Company.  Our success is attributable to all our management team and staff who work tirelessly in supporting learners and clients in their journey to achieving vocational qualifications through up-skilling and/or gaining employment.  We have had a very successful year securing numerous tenders and contracts and look forward to further achievements in the future.”

Brendan Jennings, Managing Partner, Deloitte and judging panel member commented: “Huge congratulations must go to all the winners of this year’s programme. The judging panel were extremely impressed with the innovative strategies that are being adopted by Irish management teams. From diversification strategies to a particular focus on foreign expansion and overseas markets, Irish companies are exploiting new and exciting opportunities to ensure growth in their companies.”

An independent judging panel, chaired by Liam O’Mahony, measured company performance by looking at a broad range of criteria including strategy, capability, commitment, financials and management performance across all key functions of the business.

David Harney, CEO, Irish Life Corporate Business, and fellow judging panel member said: “Ireland's best natural resource is still our people and as a country we have a huge demographic advantage particularly over our European neighbours. Best in class management of our companies is key to capitalising on this resource. Seeing the progress of companies in this programme would make one very optimistic about the future.”

The Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards Programme is open to companies from all 32 counties on the island of Ireland. It is the only awards programme that considers a business’s performance from every perspective. Details of entry for the 2013 Awards will be issued in the coming weeks on www.deloittebestmanaged.ie.

The ’Best Managed’ designation is an important marketing tool for the winning companies – but, perhaps most importantly, the award provides a reason to celebrate the efforts of the entire company.