APRIL 2009 futures
13futures RETRAINING
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
Honours for Daniel and
Lizzie's achievements
It's a busy time � and hopefully getting busier!
W
EST Cumbria is a hive of activity
at present with talk of new
nuclear power stations, the new
hospital, and the completion of the
Distington bypass.
Indeed by the time you read this the
Energus team will have relocated from our
office in the Lillyhall Business Centre into
our permanent accommodation in the
brand new Energus building on Lillyhall.
So as spring arrives and the natural
environment wakes up from its winter
slumber we in Energus have a spring in
our step. The building itself is nearing
completion and is kitted out with state of
the art equipment with an official
opening being planned for the early
summer. Everyone who has worked on the
project deserves praise, particularly our
lead contractor Thomas Armstrong. Work
is going to be completed on time and
within budget to give west Cumbria a
facility it can be truly proud of, but more
on that another time.
Many of you will have seen the
recruitment campaign for the Energus /
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
Business Administration Apprentices in
January this year � you may even have
sent in one of the 168 applications we
received. Well, the good news is that the
final six have now been selected and will
commence their apprenticeship at Lillyhall
this month, taking up placements with
host organisations at the start of May.
This two-year apprenticeship scheme is
a collaborative venture by Energus and
the NDA to both support West Cumbrian
businesses and give opportunities for local
employment and potential succession
planning. So, why a focus on Business
Administration rather than a technical,
nuclear discipline? Simple, administration
skills and knowledge are essential to the
effective running and management of any
business, regardless of the industry sector.
So things at Lillyhall are really taking
off, but that isn't all. Elsewhere in Futures
you'll find details of the next stage in the
development of a major research facility
at Westlakes. Initially funded as a joint
venture between the NDA and
Manchester University this new building
will be home to around 40 PhD students
working in the fields of decommissioning
engineering and radiation sciences.
Energus, working with the NDA and the
University, has submitted a planning
application to Copeland Borough Council
and we'll use our knowledge and
expertise from delivering the Energus
facility at Lillyhall to produce yet another
important part of the Energy Coast Vision.
Indeed it is my belief and desire that the
centre at Westlakes will grow into a
bigger establishment with research space
and other academic and management
activities. Something that will complement
the work we are involved with at Lillyhall.
I've just come back from spending some
time in America and yes we can learn a lot
from how our colleagues on the other side
of the Atlantic have tackled the skills and
training challenges we face. However I
must say they are interested and indeed
impressed with what is happening here in
the West Cumbria. In many respects we
are leading on these kinds of initiatives
and that can only be good news, not just
for this forthcoming summer but for many
years to come, as we work towards the
successful renaissance of West Cumbria.
ANDREW KING
Chief Executive, ENERGUS
T
WO WEST Cumbrian
youngsters have received
special awards from a crime
reduction charity. Daniel
Rafferty, 20, of Whitehaven,
and Lizzie Beattie, 16, of Seaton, were
presented with the awards at the
Nacro (National Association for Care
and Rehabilitation of Offenders)
centre in Workington.
Both have overcome difficulties in their
lives with the help of the charity and are
now earning qualifications to help their
careers.
Daniel was given the Marie Messenger
award, which is named after a former
Nacro staff member who died in 2007.
He earned a job as a greenkeeper at
Whitehaven Golf Club after attending a
driving range session organised by the
charity.
He went on a three-week work
placement and was then offered a
full-time job at the golf club.
Daniel said: "I heard there was a job
going in the shop and I got speaking to the
manager.
"He said that if I came down on
placement, he would put in a word to the
manager. They had a talk with me and
said they were willing to give me a go."
Daniel is now training on the job to
become a fully-qualified greenkeeper
within the next three years.
Daniel Boakes, manager of Whitehaven
Golf Club, said: "If Nacro didn't do things
like this, then I would never have known
of him and he wouldn't have got the job.
"No matter what troubles you've had in
the past, you can achieve things.
"I saw potential in him from the first
day and it's important to encourage
younger people and help those that need a
chance."
Lizzie Beattie was presented with an
outstanding achievement award. She is
currently in the first year of a three-year
course at Lakes College to earn a diploma
in childcare.
She was expelled from school two years
ago, but became interested in childcare
after finding out that she was pregnant.
She said: "I like working with kids and
I used to play with my younger brother
and sister a lot at home.
"I came to Nacro and I did a childcare
certificate. Then I had my son and
decided to go to college and make a go of
it.
"I think the award is great and I'm
really happy with it. I think it's the first
official award that I've ever got."
Lizzie wants to become a nursery
practitioner at the end of her course.
The awards were presented by Val
Metcalf MBE, regional manager for West
and Wales.
She said: "I'm really pleased to give out
two special awards. It's really good to
celebrate the hard work that the young
people have done and what they have
achieved.
"It's good for them to realise that we are
interested in what they are doing and we
want them to achieve as much as they
can."
PREPARING FOR
THE FUTURE: Nacro
open day

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