TDR Training

Vacancy ~ Training Coordinator (Science Apprenticeship Solutions)

2012-05-01T07:41:43Z

TDR is the North East region's foremost training company in science, engineering and manufacturing. Established for over twelve years we are very proud of our reputation for excellence in the delivery of learning to young people and adults. Building on this reputation TDR is now a National Provider for Laboratory Technician Apprenticeships.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and qualified assessor to join the Science Apprenticeship Department which is working regionally and nationally to deliver both industrial and educational Laboratory Technician Apprenticeships.

The ideal candidate will have relevant industrial or educational experience within the science sector and have an appropriate assessor qualification (D32/33 or A1). However A1 training can be arranged for a suitable candidate with significant industrial experience. Good IT skills are essential. Teaching experience is desirable but not essential.

The position will require the successful candidate to visit apprentices at various locations within England and therefore applicants must have a current, clean driving licence and be a car owner. Applications are particularly welcome from assessors in the Manchester/Cheshire areas although all applications will be judged on merit, not location.

This is a full time, permanent position subject to a satisfactory CRB check. Salary scales are competitive depending upon experience and qualifications.

For an informal discussion please contact Linda Croudace on 0191 491 1505

To apply, please send your current CV with a letter of application to Ms Joyce Maughan, Personnel Manager, TDR Training, Textile House, Dukesway, Team Valley, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0PZ or via e-mail to recruitment@tdrtraining.co.uk

Closing date for applications: Friday 11^th May 2012

TDR is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Outstanding e-Learning Achievement Award.

2012-03-27T17:05:53Z

TDR Training Ltd were recently invited to attend the Leading Lights in e-learning awards & gala dinner at the presitigious and historic Durham Castle hosted by JISC Regional Support Centre - Northern.

TDR were delighted to have been awarded ~ Outstanding e-Learning Achievement Award - Work Based Learning

The challenge was to enable bespoke programmes to be developed and delivered to meet the needs of employers and the individual learners employed within that specific business.

Allowing learners to take ownership of their learning and make progress through their qualifications in-line with their development within their workplace.

The TDR Science Apprenticeship team have overcome a number of difficulties including tight timescales, limited file sizes, file compatibility and learner support.

All learners can access the materials on-line and can take responsibility for their own learning - the units studied, how quickly they progress; also they are able to revisit units and access support through e-portfolio, email and facebook.

OPITO - Energise Your Future Event - Wednesday 21st March.

2012-03-27T09:33:00Z

TDR participated in this annual event at the RMR Tyne along with a number of employers representing the Oil and Gas industry in the North East.

Companies such as:

SMD www.smd.co.uk; British Engines www.bel.co.uk; Wellstream/GE www.wellstream.com; Deepocean Group/CTC Marine www.deepocean.no; Penspen www.penspen.com; IHC Engineering Business Ltd www.engb.com;

The event was open to school students, teachers and parents to showcase the diversity of oil and gas career opportunities to North East school students.

Most of these organisations take on apprentices every year.

Part Time Associate Assessor Required With Dental Lab Experience

2012-03-09T11:09:31Z

A vacancy exists for a part time associate assessor with Dental Laboratory technical experience to join Science Apprenticeship Solutions - a rapidly expanding and highly successful national arm of TDR Training.

Essential Qualities

· Dental Laboratory Experience

· Willingness to travel nationally as required

· Good communication skills

· Excellent organisational skills

· Knowledge of the National Occupational Standards for Dental Laboratory Technicians

Desirable Qualities

· A Science degree

· An assessors award (D32/33, A1 or relevant QCF certificate)

· Teaching qualification

Full training will be given for the right candidate but the dental laboratory experience is essential. Initially the position is for a part time associate assessor to deliver Dental Laboratory Technician Apprenticeships and the commitment will be for approximately 2-3 days per month. However this time requirement is likely to increase as more apprentices are recruited and there will be opportunity for the right candidate to increase their own portfolio of work. There is also a requirement to travel within England but reasonable travelling expenses will be reimbursed. Salary will be paid hourly and will depend on qualifications and experience. Applicants will only be appointed subject to an enhanced CRB disclosure.

For more information or an informal chat contact Linda Croudace on 07715179304 or email your CV to lindacroudace@tdrtraining.co.uk

BIG BANG ~ NORTHUMBERLAND

2012-03-01T08:36:43Z

For more information regarding the BIG BANG event held at the Fuse Media Centre in Prudhoe, check out the attached PDF document.

Big Bang Northumberland.pdf

More Photographs can be viewed or downloaded from our photo gallery link

http://www.tdrtraining.co.uk/gallery/main.php

Ford Aerospace and Ford Components ~ Engineered for Excellence

2012-02-14T15:30:13Z

WORKERS at a top South Tyneside company have proved they are engineered for excellence.

Staff at Ford Aerospace and Ford Components, which has bases in South Shields and Hebburn, successfully completed a training course aimed at boosting business improvement.

A specialist in the precision machining and pressing of components and assemblies for the aerospace, defence and high technology industries, Ford has its roots in the community.

A total of 26 of the employees achieved NVQ Levels 2 & 3 in LEAN and Business Improvement, receiving their certificates at a celebratory lunch hosted by Ford management.

In 2011, Ford picked up a string of awards for its business achievements, including the Culture For Success Award, presented by Service Network and Entrust in recognition of Ford's change in organisational culture, and the TDR Training Award (medium-sized companies) at TDR's annual awards dinner.

The company also collected the runners-up certificate for training at the EEF Future Manufacturing Awards.

Managing director, Mark Podmore, said: "We have made a considerable investment in ongoing staff development over the past 12 months. Not only do we want to equip the company with the staffing skills needed to aid business development and growth, but we also want to motivate our workforce and promote the inclusive culture we have adopted here at Ford."

The training, which was designed and delivered by Team Valley-based TDR Training, guided and supported staff through a range of programmes and activities around LEAN and business improvement, including problem-solving, value stream mapping and continuous improvement.

Among the participants was Karl Dambers, 39, who joined Ford more than a decade ago, and is now employed as a production shift leader.

He said: "The training has been excellent, and we've already started to implement changes in how we operate.

"It's great to feel valued and part of a company that genuinely cares about its workforce and their opinions."

Speaking on behalf of TDR, director, Ian Hunter, said: "We are delighted to have been able to support Ford in such an effective way.

"It is so encouraging to work with a company which obviously values its employees, and it is great to hear how individuals feel that they have developed as a result of our training programme."

TDR Apprentice Achieves Prestigious Rolls Royce Award.

2011-12-12T08:34:19Z

(Photo:- Middle Left Chris Old - Middle Right Scott Atkinson with their Certificates)

Scott Atkinson who currently works at Komatsu as a CNC Machining Engineer has completed an Advanced Apprenticeship with TDR Training in 2010. In his final year as an apprentice Scott started a Btec HNC in Engineering 2 year program at Sunderland College at the Shiney Row Campus. During the time he has outperformed his peers and achieved the prestigious award of Rolls Royce Award for outstanding achievement in his Btec Higher National Certificate. He has been an outstanding student throughout and is now currently completing his Btec Higher National Diploma. At work he has been outstanding and runs a new CNC machine that was introduced to Komatsu last year the SoraLuce Machining centre from Spain.

Learner Views Survey - (Current TDR Apprentices & TDR Adult Funded Learners)

2011-11-25T10:34:12Z

Its that time of the year again and TDR need all current TDR Apprentices and TDR Adult Funded Learners to complete the relevant on-line survey.

To acces the survey you need to click the following link but you will also require 2 x Access codes to gain entry.

Code 1 - TDR Company Number 10006517

Code 2 - Your Own personal number - (Please call your co-ordinator to acquire your code)

The online survey once accessed, should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete.

Link to the Survey = On Line Survey

Your input is appreciated and TDR use the information to assess our current performance.

Thank You All.

TDR Training Ltd

EEF North East Apprentice of the Year - Stephanie Oswald

2011-11-16T14:28:52Z

Stephanie Oswald has won the EEF North East Apprentice of the Year for Outstanding Final Year Apprentice. Stephanie started her engineering experience with TDR Training as a Student Engineering Apprenticeship at Emmanuel College. She completed her Btec National Certificate there and achieved a Double Distinction for her efforts. She also completed a Performing Engineering Operations NVQ Level 2 at South Tyneside College prior to starting work as an apprentice at BAE Land Systems in Newcastle where she currently works as a design engineer in the hydraulics team.

During her time as an apprentice to date she has completed a Btec Higher National Certificate in which in the second year she picked up Distinctions throughout again. Stephanie has also completed an NVQ Level 3 in Engineering Technical Support for both Project Management and Engineering Design and has shown that she could run a number of projects by her own, working with suppliers, scheduling workloads for the factory, designing and modifying new parts for the vehicles and organising work layouts.

Other achievement's Stephanie has received during her apprenticeship was to win a Bronze Chairman's award for 'Transferring Best Practice'. This was awarded for work on the annual Apprentice Charity Challenge in 2009. At this time no other Apprentice team had ever won a Chairman's award. Also in 2009 Stephanie won the Newcastle annual apprentice of the year award.

Finally Stephanie is currently studying a BSc honor's degree in Management of Engineering Technologies and has also been an ambassador for BAE Systems by giving presentations to primary schools to encourage learners to look to engineering as a career. Overall Stephanie has worked very hard to achieve her goals and will hopefully do well in the National EEF awards in December 2011.

TDR Training wish her well................

BAE Apprentice Awards 2011.

2011-11-14T08:23:06Z

TDR Training has been involved in the delivery of the Advanced Apprenticeship program with BAE Land Systems since 2006. At the end of every college year BAE Land Systems judge their apprentices on their ability within college and on the job performance and award their apprentices with an award for best Apprentice in their first year of training and best Apprentice in their last year of training. This has been held every year at Gateshead's Marriott hotel and has been very successful. All achievements are identified for every apprentice and presented to them at the awards ceremony.

All apprentices have completed or will complete an NVQ Level 3 in their relative field and have the opportunity to complete a Btec Higher National Certificate at South Tyneside College. The start of the Apprenticeship with BAE Land Systems was helped though TDR's delivery of the Student Engineering Program. This is a program linked with schools to deliver the Btec National Certificate whilst in the sixth form and also deliver an NVQ Level 2 Performing Operations Engineering qualification also. During the Apprentices time at BAE Land Systems they have gained practical engineering skills that will help them progress through their career as engineers or trades person's to help build the future of engineering. Some have progressed onto Degree level and all will strive to build on their skills they have achieved through their Apprenticeship.

The names of apprentices left to right are: -

Paul Scott, Jack Hill, Scott Hutchinson, Andrew Watts, Joshua Potter, Aaron Blakey, Chris Fail

Rhys Quinn-McClaughlin, Chris Beckwith (ex apprentice now apprentice co-ordinator),

Marc Shepherd

TDR inspires the BME community

2011-10-04T11:44:06Z

TDR inspires the BME com .pdf

Science ~ Advanced Apprenticeship Profile ~ Heather Wynn

2010-01-18T12:38:17Z

The advanced apprenticeship attracted my interest as it offered an amazing opportunity to earn qualifications, and money, whilst gaining a quality experience in the workplace. I was completing my A levels when I submitted my application for an apprenticeship with TDR. Once I was accepted, I decided to forego immediately going to University. Instead I opted to take on my placement at TDR as their apprentice lab technician. I knew that the skills I would gain from working in a laboratory for an extended period would enhance my chances of attaining a job after graduating from university.

I had not held a job before beginning my time at TDR. It was often commented that I was shy and withdrawn at school, though I was otherwise a good student. I have come a long way since then. It has been 18 months since I started at TDR and I am much more comfortable in social situations. I can comfortably ask questions of my college lecturers and feel relatively at ease holding conversations with people I've never met before. Working in a professional company, like TDR, brings you into contact with a whole range of people. You can find yourself in all kinds of different situations. For example, I have participated in science team meetings, taken minutes, completed practical demonstrations for students, ordered stock from companies for the lab as well as the office and helped to interview prospective students.

All of the experiences I have had have given me a higher level of self-confidence and maturity. I have met a lot of wonderful people and further developed my scientific knowledge through my work in the laboratory as well as my BTEC qualification. I am now much more assured of my future; I know what I want to do and how to get there. I have gained the qualifications necessary for me to go to Kent University and study Biological Anthropology, which was my plan during sixth form, I now feel much more capable and prepared for the challenge it will pose. I cannot express strongly enough how valuable this period of time has been for me and could be for others.

Heather Wynn

2^nd Year Advanced Apprentice

Educational

North East Management Academy (NEMA)

2009-11-30T14:25:26Z

To find out more ~ please click on the following link

NEMA pdf.pdf

Barkston benefits from Business Improvement.

2009-07-31T08:47:49Z

A recent partnership between Barkston Plastics and TDR Training has been a great success. Eight Barkston employees worked with trainers Darren Bain and Steve Watson from TDR to successfully complete the Business Improvement Techniques (BIT) programme.

Funded through the government's Train to Gain initiative, BIT is an NVQ qualification designed to achieve real business improvements within a short timescale. Using techniques originally developed in lean manufacturing, BIT creates a culture of continuous improvement. Likely outcomes are reduced waste, improved productivity and cost savings.

Team Valley-based TDR is providing BIT for a range of companies throughout the region large and small. Specialising in engineering and manufacturing, TDR is fully endorsed by the Learning and Skills Council, and the Science Engineering & Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA). OfSTED Inspectors recently described TDR's adult training as 'outstanding'.

Barkston Plastics in Hebburn is a specialist plastic engineering, fabricator and branded plastic product supplier. It services both industrial and commercial sectors. Barkston specialises in the fabrication and machining of plastics to customer specifications. Barkston supplies products to a wide variety of industries including automotive, retail display, electrical and building products.

Barkston is a busy company with sites in Leeds and Hebburn. The Hebburn factory has eleven multi-skilled employees. Being so busy, there is rarely an opportunity to pause to take an overview or introduce new systems that support continuous improvement.

However, following contact made through the South Tyneside Manufacturing Forum between Barkston's Manager Les Waters and TDR's Adult Learning Manager, TDR trainers were invited to Hebburn to meet and explain the BIT programme to Barkston employees. Enrolment took place shortly afterwards.

The team first gained an understanding of the underpinning knowledge and techniques of BIT including: Health and Safety, '5S', Team Working, Visual Management, Kaizen and Problem-solving. They then identified three key challenges for Barkston: to improve the workflow, recycle waste products more effectively, and to improve CNC programming.

Under the guidance of Darren and Steve they set to work and within two months had made significant and demonstrable changes, especially in workplace organisation and visual management. Significant improvements were achieved in the layout of the shop floor. It now looks very different from how it did six months ago; much better.

Fabricator Marc Waters said that after some initial uncertainty, the team really took to the challenge:

"Once we got into our stride, we began to understand what could be done and how we can continue to improve the business. We found the programme useful and enjoyable."

Manager, Les, recommends BIT to any company.

"We made huge progress in a short timeframe. It was hassle-free and hugely beneficial to the business in ways that we can measure. I would recommend it to any business"

TDR's Managing Director Ian Young is delighted at the outcome:

"We are really pleased to have been able to help Barkston. We want our training to be tailored to fit the needs of local businesses. We are here to help improve business performance"

The next step for Barkston is an Awards Ceremony when all eight employees will be presented with their Level 2 Certificates. Progression to BiT at Level 3 is a possible option for future progression.

With a Train to Gain contract TDR delivers BIT to businesses throughout the region. As well as the shop floor, BIT can be delivered across the whole business including the 'Lean Office'. The programme will always be designed to fit the particular needs of the business.

For more information, contact:

Les Waters at Barkston Plastics on 0191 428 6543, les.waters@barkstonltd.co.uk

or Ian Hunter at TDR on 0191 491 6333.

ianhunter@tdrtraining.co.uk

The successful Barkston Plastics Business Improvement Techniques Team:

Left to right: Chris Batey, Paul Cox, Marc Waters, Andrew Archer, Les Waters, Mark Jerry, Steve Hepplewhite, David Clerkin.

Mortimer School Work Experience~ Action Stations "all hands on deck".

2009-07-21T13:59:47Z

Students from Mortimer School in South Shields enjoyed a nautical work experience recently.

Thirteen Year 10 students spent two weeks at South Tyneside College in South Shields with Project Manager Bill Cook from the nearby Creations Workshops, and were tasked with designing and fitting out two model war-ships.

TDR's business colleagues at South Tyneside College Mr Mike Webster and Mr Walter Rossiter made the arrangements for the students to work in the classroom and workshop and offered advice and assistance throughout the project.

The students were split in to two teams each with a remit to build a warship capable of eventually being launched and put through their paces on the nearby Marine Park lake.

HMS IMMORTAL

HMS INVINCIBLE

A competitive edge was in evidence throughout the two weeks between the teams and with a combination of good team work and guidance from Bill, the students equipped their respective vessels with the technology to enable a race to take place on the final Friday.

Representatives from TDR mingled with curious members of the South Shields public as HMS Invincible and HMS Immortal raced around the lake.

Bill Cook said that all the students had contributed to the successful completion of the war ships and he was very impressed with the student's dedication and application.

Mr Akinclose the Technology Teacher at Mortimer School visited the students whilst they were at College and said that he was delighted with the enthusiasm shown by the students.

Paul Lund from TDR commented that it was pleasing to see the students practicing skills that they had learnt on the Young Apprenticeship programme, and Bill had also taught them lots of new skills relating to electronics, sailing techniques such as buoyancy, steering and engine power.

Zak Fleming one of the students said he had thoroughly enjoyed the experience and has recently visited Bill's Creation Workshops along with his parents to explore more about remote control techniques.

WELL DONE TO ALL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT~

HIP HIP - HOORAY