Southwick Leisure Centre is an excellent example of an organisation that makes the most of available training programmes to support its recruitment and training strategy. The picture on the left illustrates this showing 3 'generations' of staff development.

Mark Shackleton (left) is a Duty Manager - now 25 he started at Southwick Leisure Centre as an Apprentice some 5 years ago and after successfully completing his training became a Recreation assistant and then was promoted to Duty Manager He is continuing his management training by gaining experience at other local leisure centres within the same group.

Following in his footsteps was Mark Hewitt (centre) who started at the Leisure Centre on work experience while still at school - this secured him employment as an Apprentice and now at the age of 21 he has moved up to be a Recreation Assistant.

Alec Taylor (right) is a Young Apprentice he is part of a new programme that encourages young people who are still at school to start training in the Leisure industry. In effect it is a chance for Alec to start an Apprenticeship early with the full support of his school (Dorothy Stringer), Southwick Leisure Centre and local Apprenticeship organisation, BHTA. Alec has now returned to school for his final year and still works occasionally at the leisure centre, while a new Young Apprentice as taken over and continued in his footsteps.

Robin Ready (above), the Centre's Leisure Manager is delighted with his recruits and with the way the combination of programmes allows the centre to recruit and train its staff. He gets help in terms of finding the right recruits, support in organising training and subsidies towards training costs. He says 'these programmes are a key part of our recruitment, training and succession planning'.

Mark, Mark and Alec are also impressed, Mark Shackleton says that the Apprenticeship route is 'a great way to learn, get paid, get experience and get free training'.