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Taxi course offers route into work
A NEW drive is under way to recruit Northumberland taxi drivers.
The Taxi Driver Route Way programme aims to help unemployed people access jobs as taxi and private hire drivers across the county.
The initiative, which includes vacancies in the Morpeth area, pulls together funding and expertise from a number of employment and training organisations, as well as local businesses and people who work in the field.
Northumberland College provides the training, the North East Employer Coalition co-ordinates the programme, as well as contributing funding, while Jobcentre Plus puts forward suitable participants.
Employment advice company A4E has also joined the partnership to offer ongoing support while clients apply for their taxi licences.
The course includes a BTEC qualification, a test in area specific general knowledge and help with necessary documentation, such as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks.
Participants will be trained in health and safety, customer service, disability awareness and legal issues, offering benefits for both drivers and passengers.
And there is also an extra helping hand into work as people who successfully complete the programme are guaranteed an interview with a local taxi company.
Northumberland College Trainer Rod Russell said: "Since the coalition partnership started running this programme a few years ago it has continued to be successful and we are delighted to be able to roll it out in the Northumberland area now.
"We know from our research that there are vacant positions for taxi drivers in the North East and this programme allows us to help meet the needs of employers, as well as the unemployed."
The scheme was first piloted in Whitley Bay in 2006 and was such a success that it was later rolled out to Teesside, Sunderland and Durham, helping more than 70 people into work.
It is considered an example of best practice, providing jobs for unemployed people and ensuring local companies have highly trained drivers, which they may not have been able to fund on their own.
The reputation of the scheme is even attracting interest further afield and the National Taxi Academy is planning to replicate it nationwide.
The coalition hopes to continue to provide further Back to Work taxi driver programmes in the region in the future.
For details contact Northumberland College at www.northumberland.ac.uk or call 01670 841200.
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Weather for Morpeth
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
