Welcome to the Damar Training Blog

On Tuesday 26th June, The Manchester Law Society, Damar Training and the National Apprenticeship Service are hosting a lunch for training and HR managers and partners at NatWest’s offices in Spinningfields Square, Manchester. As well as an opportunity to network the event will be a chance to find out more about:

•         The new legal apprenticeship qualifications and how these can be used  to support your firm’s recruitment and staff development strategy.

•         The Manchester Law Society’s new online CPD offer.

The event is free and is open anyone responsible for training or HR within a law firm. We would be delighted if you could join us.

The details and agenda are as follows:

Venue:                 NatWest, 1 Spinningfields Square, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3AP (opposite Brazennose Street and next to Armani and John Rylands Library)

Date:                     Tuesday, 26th June, 2012

Time:                   

Midday - 12.30pm, Registration and buffet lunch

12.30pm – 1.00pm, Speakers:

Welcome from Nick Davenport, Chair, Legal Education Committee, Manchester Law Society

•         Linda Stokes, Employer Services Manager, National Apprenticeship Service.

•         Jonathan Bourne, Managing Director, Damar Training.

•         Caroline Calverley, Practice Manager, Chafes Solicitors LLP

•         Michelle Jarvis, College of Law Media

Close and thanks from Jeff Lewis, President, Manchester Law Society

1.00pm – 2.00pm,          Networking

To confirm your attendance please would you either:

Email: HannahKershaw@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk

Call: Hannah Kershaw on 0161 241 7471; or

Complete and return the attached acceptance form by post or email to HannahKershaw@manchesterlawsociety.org.uk.

An  invitation from Fran Eccles-Bech, The Manchester Law Society’s Executive Director, is also attached.

Acceptance form

Invitation

We were delighted to visit Stepping Hill Hospital to present Louise Muffett with our “learner of the month” certificate. Louise, who works as a medical secretary in the urology department won the award because of her dedication to her advanced apprenticeship in business and administration. Working with her assessor, Ellie Taylor, Louise has made excellent progress over the recent months. In addition to Sam Blacow (Louise’s manager) and other colleagues from her team, the presentation was attended by Linda Espey, Assistant Director at Stockport NHS Trust.

Stockport NHS Trust (of which Stepping Hill Hospital is part) has grown its apprenticeship programme substantially over the past twelve months in partnership with Damar Training. Jonathan Bourne, Damar’s Managing Director commented: “we are delighted to be working with such an important local employer and it is great to see the impact that apprenticeships are having. Our congratulations go to Louise as well as the team at the Trust who have been so supportinve of the programme.”

Pictured below are Louise Muffett and Jonathan Bourne (centre) as well as Ellie Taylor (far left) and Louise’s colleagues.

Full article available here:

Focus on apprenticeships - Horwich Farrelly

For more information on the new legal administration apprenticeship or how apprenticeships can add value for law firms more widely, please call Damar on 0161 480 8171 and ask to speak to a member of our recruitment team.

We were honoured to be invited to the inaugural Research and Education Awards held at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust on Wednesday 25th April. The Awards were hosted by The Christie’s Chairman, Lord Keith Bradley and were supported by the senior management team including Chief Executive Caroline Shaw and Dr Richard Cowan, Director of Education.

The Trust, which uses the motto “We Care, We Discover, We Teach” to summarise its core values and strategy, is firmly committed to teaching and developing staff and students at all levels. Damar has partnered with The Christie on apprenticeships for almost five years, during which time around 80 members of staff have successfully completed apprenticeship and NVQ qualifications.

We were delighted that one recent achiever, Janette Rea, who recently completed an NVQ in business and administration, was commended in the “student of the year” category. Our thanks go to Janette for all her hard work and also to Michelle Norton, Vocational Training and Development Co-Ordinator and Karen Hellewell, Head of Education who have both provided such strong support for the programme.

Pictured below (left to right) are Robin Lindsay (Damar) Michelle Norton, Janette Rea and Maria Grimsley (Damar).

Damar’s work on legal apprenticeships is featured in today’s Sun (page 53). We work in partnership with ILEX Tutorial College (the training arm of CILEx) and are able to offer law firms and young people access to the only Government approved legal apprenticeship designed specifically for entry-level paralegal and administrative staff.

For more information, please contact Jonathan Bourne at Damar on 0161 480 8171 or email jonathan@damartraining.com.

We were delighted to present Mario Bryan with this month’s learner of the month award. Mario (pictured left below) works in the finance department at Manchester Metropolitain University Students’ Union. He has made excellent progress in his advanced apprenticeship in accounts over recent months and has shown a real commitment both to his studies and his job at MMU. Mattew Gush, Finance Manager, and Matthew Robinson, Chief Executive, also attended the presentation and commented on how pleased they were with Mario’s progress. Our thanks go to the team at the MMU, to Mario and to his assessor, Steve Ainsworth (pictured right below).

We were delighed to present Diane Wolstenholme and Emma Stanway, both of whom work at Stockport Medical Group, with a joint “learner of the month award” earlier this month. Diane and Emma have both successfully completed level 3 NVQs in business and administration, in each case to an exceptionally high standard. Their assessor, Alison Minay, commented that “they both demonstrated an excellent understanding of their jobs.” She added: ”It was a pleasure working with them and their supervisor, Jane Whitworth, who was supportive throughout.” 

Pictured below (left to right) are Jane Whitworth (Practice Manager), Diane Wolstenholme, Emma Stanway and Alison Minay.

You may have read about the Government’s recent announcement of a new £1,500 grant for employers looking to recruit apprentices for the first time. This is a great opportunity for organisations with fewer than 250 staff - for more details please download the Employer Fact Sheet or call a member of Damar’s recruitment team on 0161 480 8171.

This month we are contratulating Matthew Rigby, who recently completed his advanced apprenticeship in business and administration with one of Manchester’s leading barristers’ chambers, Nine St John Street. Matthew lives in Wigan and found the apprenticeship opportunity through Damar.

Since joining Chambers, Matthew has taken on an increasing amount of responsibility and his role includes supporting the barristers in Chambers as well as liasing with firms of solicitors and court centres in Manchester and further afield. Matthew has his own profile on Chambers’ website here.

Our thanks go too to Senior Cilvil Clerk, Tony Morrisey and the team at Nine St John Street who have supported Matthew through his advanced apprenticeship.

Damar works with several barristers’ chambers in Manchester, as well as over 30 firms of solicitors, supporting them with the recruitment and training of apprentices in a wide range of roles, from administration to junior clerking to paralegal.

If you are interested in employing apprentices or in becoming an apprentice, please call Damar on 0161 480 8171 and ask for a memer of our recruitment team.

Christmas came early for Damar assessor Chris Barnard and MD Jonathan Bourne at a celebration event for 13 members of staff who have successfully completed apprenticeships in customer service with Bolton Primary Care Trust.
The event took place on 1st December, the same day as the team’s early Christmas party.

 Pictured in front of the tree below are the successful apprentices with Chris Barnard.

Some members of staff had initially been a bit nervous about returning to learning after a break but all were delighted to have successfully achieved their qualifications and to have their competence recognised in this way. Staff commented that the programme had helped their confidence at work and that it had improved their understanding of their department’s work.

Jonathan Bourne commented: “we are delighted to see another group of NHS staff successfully completing their apprenticeships. The work that all the learners put in was tremendous and it is great to see how apprenticeships have been of benefit both to individual learners and the team as a whole.”