Now in its second year, the Education Awards was the first of its kind in the Midlands Region last year. Organised in association with Birmingham City University, the Education Awards celebrates and rewards the most outstanding contributors to the Education Sector, going above and beyond to promote excellence.

Those shortlisted were recognised at a glittering black-tie dinner at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham. The Education Awards is endorsed by a wide range of ambassadors, including Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street.

As one of the largest providers of 16-18 apprenticeship training in the West Midlands, we engage with over 500 employers and our success rates are 16% above the national average.

Winning the award is a testament to the amazing work our teaching staff and apprenticeship team do in ensuring that our students – both school leavers and adults – are equipped with the right skills and qualities to enter their chosen career path, and in turn become successful business people and highly valued employees.”

British Airways has launched a big new campaign to recruit experienced pilots for its regional operation.

The job opportunities have arisen with the growth of its London City schedule and increased regional flying from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Stansted and Edinburgh airports this year.

BA CityFlyer, the wholly owned British Airways company with its home base at London City Airport, is on the look-out for all pilots to fly its fleet of 22 modern Embraer 170 and 190 jets.

The current entry requirements for captains has also been expanded. Applicants need to have completed a total of 3,000 flying hours on an aircraft greater than 10 tonnes including 1,000 hours as the pilot in command.

BA CityFlyer Head of Flight Crew Resourcing Strategy, Paul Nichols, said: “We are in the middle of tremendous growth at BA CityFlyer, 2018 is our busiest year so far with a 26 per cent increase in the number of customer seats available to many new destinations compared to last year and the introduction of two new Embraer 190s to the fleet.

“It’s a fantastic time to join this growing business and we are looking for experienced pilots who enjoy the challenge of flying from a steep approach airport like London City to some of the most beautiful airports in the UK and Europe.”

To help with its recruitment drive, British Airways has appointed a team of flying ambassadors, representing pilots from all levels of seniority. They will be attending roadshows and recruitment events around the country to showcase what they do and to assist with any questions.

They are:

First Officer Florence Nottage

First Officer Florence Nottage joined BA CityFlyer as a direct entry pilot three and a half years ago.

Born in France, Florence gained her private pilot’s licence in her home country after taking her first flying lesson at the tender age of 14. She completed a university degree as a career back-up before taking on her full flight training.

She says: “Apart from the flying what I really enjoy about my job is the people I work with. London City is such a friendly base, we all know each other and when we turn up for work we know we will be working with people we really like and respect.

“London City is a challenging airfield, I love flying in and out of there, but my favourite destination has to be Nice, it’s such a beautiful city to fly into.”

Florence is single and manages to easily fit her home and family life around her job.

Captain Neil Gillon

Captain Neil Gillon joined the company 17 months ago from City Jet. He began his flying career with self-funded training in the USA where he gained both his Private Pilot’s Licence and his Commercial Pilot’s Licence. After completing his flight training Neil stayed on in the USA as a flight instructor teaching commercial and private pilots for UK/JAA licences and ratings. On his return to the UK Neil got a job with Eastern Airways flying prop aircraft, where he gained his command.  He later worked for Monarch, Silverjet and City Jet as a captain on a mix of jet aircraft before joining BA CityFlyer.

He was already licensed to carry out steep approach landings at London City Airport, thanks to his experience at City Jet, but what appealed to him most was how quickly the British Airways operation was growing at the Docklands airport.

He said: “Being based at the airport I was in a great position to see the expansion first hand, exciting new destinations, a fleet of modern Embraer aircraft and the chance for career progression.

“Once I joined the company I knew I had made the right choice. The roster works really well for me, the training personnel and management are all really approachable and I really admire the safety and customer focus culture that we have.”

Captain Ed Styles

Captain Ed Styles joined BA CityFlyer as a First Officer in 2014 and has since got his command and become a Training Captain on the Embraer fleet.

He initially got his private pilot’s licence and built up his flying hours after buying a part share in a private aircraft. He did his ground school training in Bristol and his first commercial job was as a pilot with City Jet, based at London City Airport.

Since joining British Airways he has taken the opportunity to help other pilots gain vital flying experience and is now licensed to sit in both the left and right hand seats on the flight deck as a training captain, assessing both first officers and captains for their regulation checks.

With the expansion of the regional flying programme in the UK, Ed is delighted to be able to fly in and out of his home city of Birmingham.

He said: “My parents still live in Birmingham so it’s great that I can combine my working life with a trip home when I’m lucky enough to be rostered a Birmingham trip. We do have great flexibility within the company and we fly to some lovely destinations.

“I just love flying, it’s hard to pick a favourite airfield that we fly to, I’m torn between Chambery and Mykonos.”

First Officer Iain Robb

First Officer Iain Robb has wanted to be a pilot his whole life and last year his wish came true when he landed his dream job flying for BA CityFlyer.

Originally from Glasgow, Iain began his aviation career working on the ground at Glasgow Airport as a dispatcher. With his obvious love of flying when he heard BA CityFlyer were recruiting he signed up straight away.

He did his initial practical flight training in Spain last year and in January began ground school in the UK. By March at the age of 21, he was qualified as a first officer and flying his first commercial customers from London City Airport.

He says: “I just love my job and the people I work with, every day is different and challenging and the opportunity for career progression is fantastic.

“I would advise anyone who is thinking about flying as a career to at least try a job in aviation first, even if it’s on the ground.  It gives you a real feel for the industry as a whole and I think it’s good to understand how everyone works together to ensure a safe and efficient operation.”

A caring secondary school welcomed Erdington MP Jack Dromey to its first ever Wellbeing Week – five days of engaging activities designed to support children and prepare them for modern life.

The MP, who has praised Stockland Green School on its latest ‘Good’ Ofsted report, visited the oversubscribed academy to meet with staff and students and to find out more about wellbeing initiatives.

During the week, children experienced a range of events, including educational visits to three universities and various colleges; workshops on the effects of knife crime; keeping yourself safe; mental wellbeing; sexual health; avoiding gang culture; live dissections in an operating theatre environment; and year 7 enterprise programmes. A number of organisations in the area also showed their support by participating in the week.

During his visit, Mr Dromey said: “Stockland Green School is going from strength to strength. This pioneering Wellbeing Week is designed to, unashamedly, tackle a range of difficult issues. Duck them, and we let young people down. If these children feel confident and engaged, then there’s no problem that cannot be solved or no mountain that can’t be climbed.”

The MP took to the stage to celebrate the achievements and encourage students to keep on talking about key issues.

He said: “It’s a real pleasure to be here. Erdington is rich in talent. I’m passionate about engaging young people and ensuring that each person gets the best possible start in life through quality education and teachers, as demonstrated by this excellent school.”

Headteacher Marie George added: “We’re offering practical help to young people to overcome any struggles in their life, to keep them safe and to equip themselves with the tools to handle a range of issues, such as mental illness and wellbeing; domestic violence; body image; and stress of exams.

These issues will effect some of our families and students and so it’s important that our Stockland Green family continue to support each other. Feedback from students has been extremely positive. Our children have taken up the opportunities afforded to them and this whole initiative has been driven by 22 wellbeing leaders, who have worked tirelessly on this first of many Wellbeing Weeks. My thanks goes out to all those – including Jack – who have supported us to ensure this event has been a success at all levels.”

Mrs George then introduced the MP to the school’s ‘entrepreneurs of the future’ an industrious group of year 7s who have been turning their business ideas into fundraising donations. As part of the Enterprise Project, children were given £5 to create their very own trader stalls, selling home-made items, such as bracelets and cakes, and tasked with making a profit. The young ‘Dragons’ will calculate their gains at the end of next week and donate all the money to a local mental health charity.

Commenting on the week and visit, year 7 student, Omara Khan said: “It’s been a really good week. I’ve learnt a lot and taken part in so many activities – it was a great surprise to meet Mr Dromey.”

Fellow year 7 student and cake baker, Mia Anderson, said: “I enjoyed the week and it really made us think. Hopefully, we can raise lots of money too.”

Leading the wellbeing activities at Stockland Green is deputy headteacher Rebecca Goode, who has been working with staff, students and community members to create a week to remember.

She said: “This week has been about delivering the key message that we must look after ourselves and each other. It was designed to inform, empower and support children; to equip them with those all-important life skills to tackle the challenges of today’s world.”

Mrs. Goode has also been leading on the school’s Rights Respecting award, as part of an Erdington ATLP initiative to be recognised by international children’s charity UNICEF for empowering and respecting young people. Slade Primary’s launch event in May was also attended by Stockland Green and Jack Dromey MP, who is delighted to hear that Stockland Green has now achieved the Bronze Rights Respecting Award.

Mrs. Goode added:

“We are a school that listens to our children. We make sure that their voice is heard and that we give them confidence, support and respect. Our Wellbeing Week ties nicely with those core attributes of being a Rights Respecting School and it is fitting that this Bronze award arrived this week, and we are proud and delighted to receive this honour.

We nurture and care for the whole child here. It’s not only about the quality of education; we want our students to be resilient, to be ambitious and, mostly, to be kind to ourselves and others. For if we are raised to believe in being a community, to be part of that family, then we can achieve anything.”

Birmingham-based Encore Personnel has introduced its brand-new e-grads (Encore Graduates in Recruitment Are Destined for Success) scheme, in a bid to encourage graduates and fresh talent into the exciting and fast-paced world of recruitment.

An annual report by High Fliers Research has revealed that graduate employment was substantially lower than expected in 2017 and many private sector companies are cutting graduate recruitment by more than 10% in 2018. With a vast number of students set to enter the job market in June, Encore wants to change these statistics, highlighting recruitment as a rewarding and aspirational career opportunity.

Based on Lower Temple Street in Birmingham, Encore introduced the e-grads scheme earlier this month for new recruits. With a variety of job roles on offer, from sales to admin, the training scheme is designed to fit hand-in-hand with the graduate’s day-to-day role at Encore.

The scheme will include extensive internal training and a dedicated career development plan, which will foster the skills and knowledge needed to excel in a career in recruitment.

Cindy Gunn, HR Manager at Encore Personnel, said: “There is a strong pool of graduates with raw talent across the city, who will be finishing university this summer and deciding their next move. Many do not consider recruitment as a career choice but we want to show them that they have the talent to achieve a long and fulfilled career in the industry.

“It doesn’t matter if the applicant has no previous experience or even if their degree was not recruitment-related, our e-grads scheme is designed to encourage all graduates to apply. They just need to have the drive and ambition to succeed.

“Encore is dedicated to being a great place to work by ensuring its staff develop by promoting within and providing beneficial training opportunities. Last year alone, Encore invested £1m in staff training and growth opportunities and many graduates have gone on to have brilliant careers with the company. I started working at Encore 16 years ago with little work experience as an Administrator and I have now progressed through the ranks to HR Manager.”

Interested e-grads candidates will be able to attend an assessment day hosted by Encore, whereby they will undertake individual and group activities with around ten other applicants.

Cindy added: “We didn’t want to do the typical formal interview process for hiring graduates. These assessment days are much more interactive and allow the applicant to get a better understanding of Encore and recruitment in a more relaxed environment.

“We are also able to get a good idea of a candidate’s personality by seeing them at ease with others. From these sessions, we expect to uncover some shining stars with great potential in recruitment.”

With the school summer holidays approaching, employers and parents are being reminded of the rules regarding the employment of children who are still of compulsory school age.

Many children will be looking for ‘something to do’ during the summer break, while at the same time earning some extra money – but there are regulations which exist to safeguard the health and well-being of children while they are at work, and to make their first taste of work pleasant and rewarding.

Councillor Paul Sweet, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “It is important that any child who is employed does so strictly in accordance with the law.

“These rules are not just red tape; they exist to protect the health and physical well-being of children while they are at work.”

During the school holidays children aged 13-14 can work up to five hours a day (a maximum of 25 hours per week), children aged 15-16 can work up to eight hours a day (a maximum of 35 hours per week). Children may not work before 7am or after 7pm, and it is illegal to employ a child under the age of 13.

Anyone wishing to employ a child should register the employment by notifying the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Child Employment Section, Safeguarding Service, Priory Green Office, Whitburn Close, Pendeford WV9 5NJ, within seven days of the commencement of the employment.

Children are prohibited from working in a number of settings, including factories, betting shops, fish and chip shops, pubs, theatres and garage forecourts. Door to door selling, canvassing, street trading, cash collection, delivering milk and any kind of building work are also prohibited.

Smethwick assistant headteacher Bethany Barnsley has clinched a top award for her teaching – at the very school she went to as a child.

Bethany, who works at Devonshire Infant and Junior Academies, picked up a silver award in the 2018 Pearson Teaching Awards.

Selected from thousands of nominations, Bethany is one of just 65 winners who were celebrated on Friday 22 June – “Thank A Teacher Day”.

Bethany, who is also the school’s SENCO, attended the school as a pupil and she has worked at Devonshire Academies since qualifying as a teacher.

She was presented with her prestigious Silver Pearson Teaching Awards trophy at a special ceremony by Sharron Philpot, Executive Headteacher and Robert Craig, representing Pearson.

The Pearson Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they teach.

Bethany, who has worked at the school for ten years, said she felt lucky to work with her colleagues and pupils at Devonshire.

“I feel extremely honoured and privileged to have received a Silver Award for Excellence in Special Educational Needs Education,” she added.

“I am very lucky to work with such incredible children at Devonshire Academies. The award is a testament to the fantastic teams that work so hard and continually strive for the best for our young people.”

Sharron Philpot, Executive Headteacher at Devonshire Infant and Junior Academies, which is part of Victoria Academies Trust said: “This is such a well-deserved award.

“Bethany is a true inspiration to all who work with her. The impact she makes on the lives of children in our schools, and more widely within the trust is incredible. It is a proud moment for everyone who knows her.”

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for children’s services Councillor Simon Hackett said: “I’d like to congratulate Bethany on this fantastic achievement. It’s heart-warming to think she went to this school as a child herself and now she’s delivering a fantastic education to her own pupils.”

Bethany will now join fellow Silver Award winners, along with three Scottish Education Award winners and three winners of the Professional Teaching Awards Cymru, at the 20th UK Ceremony of the Pearson Teaching Awards held in central London on 21 October.

There they will find out which of them has won one of just 12 Gold Plato Awards, the UK’s “Oscars for teachers”.

The October ceremony, titled “Britain’s Classroom Heroes”, will be filmed and broadcast by the BBC as a showcase of excellence in education.