Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind

8 Blaenau Gwent clients completed OCN Level 1 Health & Safety Qualifications on 16-05-2012

6 Caerphilly clients completed OCN Level 1 Health & Safety Qualifications on 18-05-2012

One client from Abertillery secured employment with Workchoice support at Poundstretchers in Ebbw Vale, which started on 16-05-2012

Good news from Workchoice this w/c 7th May 2012 – 5 job outcomes:

1. Following successful work trial with Sigma 3, customer was offered contract
2. Following successful work trial with Chris White Services, customer was offered contract
3. Customer successful following support with interview at Premier Store, Merthyr Tydfil
4. Customer gained employment at Premier Store, Caerphilly
5. Customer gained employment through our support with EVAD, where he was already volunteering

On the 26^th April our training department received its annual External Verification (EV) visit from our awarding body Agored Cymru. The purpose of this EV visit was to check the quality and standards of the training provision. MTIB has been delighted to receive a glowing report from the visit which highlights good practice within teaching, assessment, support, feedback to learners and opportunities for progression.

MTIB is hosting a free event at Theatr Soar (High Street, Merthyr) on Monday 14^th May from 11am till 2pm.  “Make over your life” is being run as part of national Adult Learner’s Week, and will be a chance to have a free hair consultation, try at nail art, Indian head massage, jewellery making, a make over, and learn how to dress for your body shape.  There will be kids activities including cake decorating & story telling.  The event will be supported by organisations that can offer free training courses, so come along and find out what is on offer!  For more details please contact Nicola on nicolaperkins@mtib.co.uk or @MTIBUK

Click here for the poster with all the info: ALW event 1405 Make Over Your Life at Soar

A Work Choice customer from RCT has been working in Sigma 3 on our supported contract since Feb 2012. He attended a number of job club sessions, CV writing and application form filling sessions prior to this and has successfully completed the 13 week contract. As he worked so well, the employer has decided to offer him a permanent contract with them, which started on Monday (30/04). He has now progressed from supported to unsupported and has secured permanent employment with help from the Workchoice Team!

Also 2 Work Choice customers from Pontyclun have been given the opportunity to carry out work trials this week, which if prove successful will lead to employment starting next week. One work trial is at Sigma 3, the other work trial is with Chris White Landscaping.

Finally our Employer Liaison Officer, Rob Williams, is attending an interview today with a Workchoice customer from Merthyr Tydfil. This is for a position in a local shop.

MTIB’s CEO Richard Welfoot and the Chairman of the Board Gary Meredith yesterday attended Cyfarthfa Park to meet the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee tour of South Wales.

They had a brief chat to her about the work that MTIB does and she asked whether we felt new technology had made the lives of disabled people easier….

Best wishes to her and the Duke of Edinburgh on the rest of their tour.

We’re running a job club today for Caerphilly Workchoice clients, which includes a training session on effective job search techniques and then an interactive job search skills quiz (from 10am-12pm).

Also Rob Williams, our employment liason officer, has taken a Caerphilly Workchoice customer to meet with an employer as an informal interview. If all goes well she will start on our contract but will be working in a Premier Store in Caerphilly – 16hrs per week.

All good news!

MTIB would like to thank the following 2 companies for their kind sponsorship support in relation to MTIB’s forthcoming 14th annual charity golf event on 31st May 2012 at Moralis Castle Golf Course in Merthyr Tydfil.

http://www.creativerisksolutions.co.uk/

www.ecomlearning.co.uk

For any other enquiries relating to the event or sponsorship opportunities there is still time to contact Geraint on 01685 370072 or geraintlynn@mtib.co.uk

w/c 16th April 2012 saw 3 Work Choice customers helped by MTIB, to start employment of 16 hours or more.

Well done to the team here for their continued hard work, supporting people with disabilities into employment.