A long-established Newton Aycliffe institution has received mayoral recognition for its work in a local community.
ITEC NE, based at the Digital Factory on Aycliffe Business Park, won the ‘Improving Employment Opportunities’ award at Middlesbrough Council’s Civic Community Awards 2020.
ITEC was also highly commended in the ‘Helping People to Improve their Educational and Vocational Capability’ category of the same awards.
Although having been based in Aycliffe for 37 years, ITEC has training sites in Middlesbrough as well as Hartlepool and Gateshead.
The not-for-profit training provider works with the Education Skills Funding Agency to deliver a range of government-funded programmes, and serves dozens of companies in the Aycliffe and County Durham area with a range of fully-funded training programmes.
ITEC supports and delivers an excellent end to end service for the residents and businesses in the Middlesbrough area as well, which led to its recognition this year.
Managing director Tracy Wilson said: “We are very proud at ITEC NE to do what we do and serve our community.
“Our ethos is to serve every individual who walks through our open-door policy and there is an offer for all regardless of the starting point.
“Our aim is to continue to work with the community and third-party referral agencies to ensure that the residents of of the areas we serve have the provision available to them to enable and empower them to be the best they can be.”
Middlesbrough deputy mayor Antony High said: “Community organisations, local businesses and individual volunteers make a huge contribution to lives across Middlesbrough, assisting the council in delivering critical services and providing social networks which reduce isolation and enable people to live independently for longer.
“These awards aren’t just about recognising length of service to a community – we want to highlight fantastic contributions made by residents and businesses who have improved the lives of others.”
ITEC NE was established in 1982 as part of a joint partnership between the former Sedgefield Borough Council and GEC, in response to a government initiative to establish over a 100 information technology centres throughout the country.
The organisation was originally based in Aycliffe but now operates from four training centres across the North-East.
MD Tracy said: “Those that know ITEC NE know of our reliability, capacity to deliver and meet the promises made from the outset.
“In over 35 years of delivering education and vocational training ITEC NE has supported over 1,000 people to achieve an apprenticeship with the vast majority remaining with the employer they started with at least six months after completion.
“ITEC NE has engaged with and enabled over 2,000 people to be trained in sector specific subjects that have enabled the individual to become more employable as a direct result, leading to employment opportunities.”
Working within the Youth Engagement Initiative (YEI), Adult Education (AEB), Apprenticeships (ESFA), ITEC’s provision has diversified over recent years.
They are offering free upskilling and training opportunities for employers in all sectors, working predominantly in the IT, admin, customer service and warehousing sectors.
Head of operations Emma Booth added: “We’re proud of our history but we’re also passionate about the future and continuing our record of offering fantastic training opportunities for employers and employees.”
ITEC NE offers training and apprenticeships in business and administration, and for those who want to be a digital marketer, software developer or network engineer, as well as offering infrastructure technician and team leader apprenticeships.
After successfully retaining the Matrix quality standard and Cyber Essentials, ITEC NE is going from strength to strength, servicing businesses and individuals across County Durham and the Tees Valley.
More details on digital training courses and all distance learning provision, including mental health awareness, are available on ITEC NE’s website.
CONTACT
The Digital Factory, Durham Way South, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6XP
T: 01325 320 052 E: [email protected] W: itecne.co.uk.