• Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
    • Business Mag
  • Sport
    • Football
    • NAFC
    • Cricket
    • Durham Wildcats
    • American Football
    • Baseball
    • Rugby
    • Youth Football
  • Features
    • Blog
    • Picture Galleries
  • Community
    • A.T People
    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Aycliffe Today
Aycliffe Today
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
    • Business News
      Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

      Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

      PCP chief proud to get award recognition

      PCP chief proud to get award recognition

      Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

      Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

      Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

      Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

    • Business Mag
      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 71

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 70

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 69

      Aycliffe Business: Issue 69

  • Sport
    • Football
      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe Youthy round-up

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe stay third with 4-0 away win

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Aycliffe go top with four wins from first four games

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

      Unbeaten start for Sports Club

    • NAFC
      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe narrowly miss out on play-off place – but achieve record league finish

      Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

      Aycliffe’s play-off push on track – last home game Easter Monday!

      Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

      Aycliffe boost play-off hopes with win in Leeds

      Aycliffe’s play-off hopes boosted by back-to-back wins

      Aycliffe’s play-off hopes boosted by back-to-back wins

    • Cricket
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

    • Durham Wildcats
      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WILDCATS FIGHTBACK TO SECURE CUP WIN

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      WOLVES EDGE IT AGAINST WILDCATS

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      DURHAM WILDCATS 73, GLASGOW ROCKS 99

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

      WILDCATS SLAY LIONS AGAIN

    • American Football
      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS BEAT AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WARRIORS START SEASON IN STYLE!

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WOODHAM WARRIORS VICTORIOUS

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

      WARRIORS COACH TO TRAIN GB SQUAD

    • Baseball
      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      Aycliffe Cricket round-up

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      COUNCILLORS 'PITCH' FOR LOCAL SPORTS CLUB!

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      SPARTANS UP FOR TOP AWARD

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

      NEWTON AYCLIFFE SPARTANS AT WOODHAM

    • Rugby
      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe fall to heavy defeat against league leaders

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Aycliffe notch up another loss in local derby

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Rugby: Aycliffe in bottom two after Whitley Bay defeat

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

      Aycliffe return to winning ways with hard-fought victory over Bishop

    • Youth Football
      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Newton Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

      Aycliffe Juniors round-up

  • Features
    • Blog
      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      Covid-19 crisis update from your MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      ‘Now we must move forward’ says MP

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      Business Advice: Cash Flow

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

      The Aycliffe Blue Blog

    • Picture Galleries
      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      Picture Gallery: Duke of Kent visits Ebac

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: Hitachi Opening Ceremony

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: ROF 59 in progress

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

      PICTURES: Ayclife dancers in national finals

  • Community
    • A.T People
      Spring 2015

      Spring 2015

      December 2014

      December 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

      Aug - Sept 2014

    • Services Directory
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Former apprentice returns as Chief Exec of Aycliffe training provider
Home
Business

Former apprentice returns as Chief Exec of Aycliffe training provider

October 19th, 2015 Martin Walker Business 0 comments 3013

top banner

A former apprentice at a Newton Aycliffe training provider has returned to take over the reins as chief executive.

After leaving school, Lee Childs joined Black & Decker in Spennymoor as an engineering apprentice and spent his first three months learning basic skills at South West Durham Training on Aycliffe Business Park.

Now, 16 years later, he has returned to take over as chief executive from Trevor Alley, who has retired after a successful two years at the helm which saw SWDT named one of the highest performing engineering training providers in the country.

Lee completed his formal engineering qualifications at Darlington College and Northumbria University and, after six years at Black & Decker, he enrolled on a teaching course at Darlington College which led to a nine-year career with the college, during which Lee was promoted to overall head of engineering and automotive technology.

Forging fresh links with SWDT, Lee jointly developed new apprenticeship frameworks which led to new partnerships with some of the region’s biggest employers, including 3M, Glaxo, Cummins and Hitachi.

Lee, from Shildon, said: “I am an engineer – that’s my background, that’s what I trained as – and I’m very passionate about apprenticeship training and vocational skills. High quality apprenticeships are an absolute must for the future success of manufacturing and engineering in the country; we need to invest in the training of young people.

New SWDT Chief Executive Lee Childs with Hitachi technical apprentices Mitch Rookes, 18, of Hartlepool, (centre) and Callum Worrall, 19, of Darlington

“Our trainees are equally passionate – they come here to secure jobs and we want to get them all into employment while providing the training services our employers need.”

In July 2014 SWDT received an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted report, receiving the top grade in all four categories: overall effectiveness; outcomes for learners; quality of teaching, learning and assessment; and effectiveness of leadership and management.

Bishop Auckland College and SWDT announced a new partnership last year which saw SWDT become a subsidiary of the college while continuing to trade under its own brand as a separate registered charity.

New joint initiatives include a commercial gas centre offering training for the Gas Safe Register for the domestic and industrial markets, an electrical installation centre offering training in Part P testing, and a new Level 3 plumbing course.

Lee added: “South West Durham Training is in a solid position and we are looking forward to more good results this year.

“Moving forward the intention is to consolidate the (Ofsted) Grade 1 status of the training centre in terms of success rates and outcomes for our learners, and work in partnership with local employers to ensure we continue to meet their emerging training needs.”

Last month the centre, which employs 27 staff and has over 100 trainees, welcomed new apprentices from Hitachi, Cummins, Glaxo, 3M, Cleveland Bridge and Nifco. All are on engineering/manufacturing programmes with bespoke elements required by their employer, including hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical, fabrication and welding.

The Government has set a target of creating three million new apprenticeships by 2020 in a bid to boost skills and end youth unemployment.

Welcoming Lee Childs’ appointment, SWDT chairman Andy Dunn, general manager of engineering at Nifco UK in Stockton, said: “His vast engineering experience is underpinned by a huge passion for apprenticeships and skills development; it is this combination which will see him continue to build on the great achievements of the centre to date. As an added extra, he is from the local area with an apprenticeship background of his own – Lee is someone that our young people will really be able to resonate with; a great choice as successor to Trevor Alley.”

SWDT was founded in 1967 to provide training for local manufacturing and engineering companies and today offers a wide range of courses including electrical safety, hydraulics, pneumatics, welding, turning, forklift operation, advanced CNC, NEBOSH, PAT, first aid at work and working at heights.

The training offer includes apprenticeships and advanced apprenticeships in mechanical & electrical engineering, toolmaking, and fabrication & welding. Commercial short courses range from half day to six days, and the BTEC 1st Certificate/Diploma and Dual Award GCSE in Engineering for Year 10 and Year 11 students is delivered in a dedicated schools workshop and computer facility.

In 2011 its £3.6m manufacturing and product design training centre, offering state-of-the-art facilities for students and employers, was opened. High tech equipment includes 3D laser scanners, laser cutters, rapid prototyping machines, routers, highly automated and flexible manufacturing systems, CNC lathes and millers, floor standing pillar drills and an industrial process control station.

For more information on SWDT visit www.southwestdurham.co.uk

 

top banner

Share it!

Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest
Next article Fireworks Display – wristband days held this week
Previous article Football: Aycliffe maintain unbeaten home league record with victory

Related News

Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes Business
May 21st, 2025

Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

PCP chief proud to get award recognition Business
May 20th, 2025

PCP chief proud to get award recognition

Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian Business
May 15th, 2025

Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

LATEST VIDEO

This week on A.T

May 21st 1:52 PM
Business

Award-winners BTS are net zero heroes

May 21st 11:37 AM
News

Durham County Council appoints new leader

May 20th 8:03 PM
Business

PCP chief proud to get award recognition

May 20th 5:01 PM
Sport

Aycliffe Cricket round-up

May 15th 11:39 AM
Business

Lifetime Achievement Award is ‘crowning’ moment for Brian

May 12th 11:50 AM
Business

Husqvarna UK a cut above the rest with Company of the Year award

May 12th 8:42 AM
Business

300 guests celebrate Aycliffe Make Your Mark Awards

May 2nd 9:28 PM
News

Farage tells council diversity and climate staff to ‘find alternative careers’ after County Durham majority

May 2nd 6:44 PM
News

Four new councillors as Reform UK sweeps into Aycliffe power

Apr 30th 3:54 PM
Business

Aycliffe Business: Issue 72

Recommend
Follow @AycliffeToday
  • Home
  • History
  • News
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Features
  • Community
  • Video
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Back to top
© Aycliffe Today 2019. All rights reserved.
Developed by Thrive