Steel River Quay Business Co-ordinator Beth Brockwell is encouraging more people across Teesside to consider upskilling as she continues to develop her career through a Chartered Manager degree at Teesside University.

Beth, 26, supporting the day-to-day running of Steel River Quay’s operations including handling general business administration, supplier management and supporting our finance and health and safety processes.

Alongside her full-time role at Steel River Quay, she is undertaking her further training with support from the Tees Valley Apprenticeship Levy Matching Service.

The scheme uses unspent Apprenticeship Levy funding from larger employers to create wider training opportunities and support businesses across the region.

So far, 11 businesses have pledged around £1.8 million through the service, helping 26 businesses take on 89 apprentices. There is currently a further £600,000 available through the Tees Valley fund for businesses looking to take on apprentices.

For Beth, the opportunity has allowed her to build on her experience at Steel River Quay while developing skills that will support her future career.

She said: “I always knew I wanted to go on and get more experience.  I would definitely recommend the Apprenticeship Levy for people who may be in full-time roles and want to upskill.

The Apprenticeship Levy Matching Service is supported and co-ordinated by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, which is encouraging more large employers with unspent levy funding to come forward and become donors.

The funding can then be matched with local businesses that do not have their own levy fund, helping them cover training and assessment costs.

With major investment continuing to create new jobs and opportunities across Teesside, programmes such as this are helping local people develop the skills needed to take advantage of the region’s growth.

Apprenticeships now offer routes into a wide range of careers, from engineering, manufacturing and construction to digital, professional and creative industries.

For Beth, her experience is an example of how continued learning can go hand in hand with a career, helping people across Teesside gain new skills while contributing to the region’s growing economy.

She added: “If you get the chance, go and do it.”

Find out more about levy opportunities here.