Empress customer puts youngsters on the right track

A not-for profit training company in Manchester is helping the youngsters of today gain skills that will secure them a bright future.

Right Track Social Enterprise (RTSE), whose regional office is based in our Empress Business Centre in Manchester, offers individuals free training, apprenticeships, traineeships and work-based learning, with the support of Government funding.

The company has a strong commitment to community engagement and helps people from disadvantaged backgrounds find work.

RTSE’s Business Development Manager, Lisa Mather, explains: “We want to make sure youngsters are not just skilled, but qualified for the job, and so we offer Level 2 and 3 NVQs in various subjects.

“We work with a range of organisations including employers in the community, the Job Centre and the National Apprenticeship Service to find out what positions are available and upskill individuals to help them secure a traineeship, work-based learning or employment.”

Winning formula

RTSE believes in helping individuals fulfil their potential and leads by example as CEO, Stuart Bell won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award last year and was amongst its judging panel for 2015.

Expanding on RTSE’s Nottingham head office which has been set up since 2009, the social enterprise set up its Manchester base in November 2013 and moved into its office at Empress Business Centre last spring. Lisa comments:

The location of the Empress Business Centre is great and easily accessible, which is important for us for when we hold open days for candidates and employers. The Bizspace team are always very approachable and friendly which is great.

“We started off with a small workspace as I was the only member of staff and it was nice to have a focused workspace minus the distractions of working from home. We have recently moved to a bigger office, next to the Work Lounge, to accommodate our business growth. We now have four staff – two other business development team members and an NVQ assessor.

“It’s fantastic to go to work and genuinely help people. To see youngsters on our courses grow in confidence, achieve qualifications and secure a job that they want to do, gives me great job satisfaction.”

Future plans

The Manchester RTSE team has a busy 12 months ahead of them and are hosting an open day at the Empress Business Centre on Tuesday 28 July from 12-2pm for both employers and candidates looking for apprenticeships. It is an informal opportunity to find out more about RTSE and what they can offer.

Following the success of community engagement initiatives delivered by RTSE’s head office in Nottingham, such as regenerating Sure Start centres and involving young mums to participate in the work, Lisa is keen to establish community engagement initiatives in Manchester too.

Lisa says: “We are happy to speak with any employer with an interest in community regeneration projects in the Manchester area to discuss how we can work together.”

About Empress Business Centre

Our Empress Business Centre is in an excellent location in Manchester, just 10 minutes away from Deansgate in the city centre. For entrepreneurs or home workers looking for a shared work environment, its Work Lounge offers a professional workspace and an opportunity to network with other businesses. The business centre also has workshops, storage units and offices in a range of sizes to cater for both small and larger companies. Meeting rooms, on-site administrative support and free car parking facilities are also available. For more information please contact Business Centre Manager Ian Walker on 0161 877 5579.