Minister to visit Gloucestershire Skillsfest

Target is part of a team of local businesses, training providers and apprenticeship experts gearing up for the first Gloucestershire Skillsfest, taking place on 9 February.

The Skillsfest, which is being held at Gloucester Rugby Club, is a day-long programme of events designed to inspire and inform businesses and youngsters to take up apprenticeships, part of National Apprenticeship Week.

"We're really pleased to get involved in spreading the word - not just to businesses who may have never considered taking on an apprentice, but to young people and their parents trying to figure out their next steps after school," says Target's chief exec Sarah Bryars.

Beginning with a Business Breakfast, smaller businesses will hear how the Apprenticeship scheme works with contributions from a local employer and apprentice, and from Ian Mean, Editor in Chief of Gloucestershire Media and a prominent advocate of apprenticeships.

A seminar for some of the county’s larger businesses will be addressed by Chris Grayling, Minister for Employment, Richard Graham, MP for Gloucester, and Terry Chappell from the National Apprenticeship Service.

There will also be opportunities throughout the day to “Meet the Apprentice” and a briefing aimed at parents/carers to help them understand more about apprenticeships.

Terry Chappell is part of the team responsible for the event. He says: “Last year we ran a very successful Apprenticeship Jobs Fair, but this year we decided to think bigger and embrace the ‘past, present and future’ of apprenticeships.

“We’ll have people who have already been training as apprentices and employers operating successful schemes giving their inside view; live current vacancies so that jobseekers can talk directly to employers that are seeking apprentices now; and we’ll be whetting the appetite of youngsters still at school, who may be apprentices of the future, encouraging them to ‘have a go’ at a new skill.

“Throughout the day there will be an exhibition from local training providers and employers who run apprenticeships explaining what’s involved, the process, funding, employer incentives, and plenty of opportunities to hear directly from apprentices and their managers.”

Chappell concludes: “Our aim is to inspire businesses to create apprenticeship roles in their organisations, inform them how to do it, and get them started on a path that can bring fresh talent into their company and stimulate long term growth.

“We also want to excite young people about the opportunities to learn as they earn. The scope of apprenticeships is vast and caters for every level of education from the equivalent of GCSEs to degree standard, across a diverse range of sectors and types of organisation.”

The Gloucestershire Skillsfest has been organised by a collaboration of local businesses, training providers, GFirst and the National Apprenticeship Service.

GFirst Chief Executive David Owen said: “Nurturing Gloucestershire’s young talent is at the heart of GFirst and we want to encourage more apprenticeships within the county. They can be very beneficial for the apprentice but can also be invaluable to businesses by bringing in another skilled member to your team and fresh ideas. The Skillsfest is a really exciting opportunity to find out more about apprenticeships and we are sure it will be a great success.”

For details of the day’s programme visit www.GlosSkillsfest.co.uk or email glosskillsfest@apprenticeships.gov.uk or call 01242 500 009.

Winning entry showcases young skills

A joint entry by Year 9 pupils Tiffany and Lauren from Heywood Community School in Cinderford, Forest of Dean, scooped the prize for the best photograph in Target’s ‘have a go’ skills competition.

Part of a county-wide skills day for teenagers held at Gloucester Rugby Club, Target challenged youngsters to try their hand at either writing a press release or taking a photo to illustrate a PR launch story.

Tiffany and Lauren chose to create a photo that would help promote the launch of a new beauty product – the sumptuous Spa Paradisa body butter – and this is their winning image.

Sarah Bryars, Target’s chief executive, explained what impressed her and apprentice account executive Courtney Conroy, who both worked with pupils attending the event.

“Tiffany and Lauren had a really great attitude and approach to the task – they thought carefully about what they wanted to do and came up with the idea for the ‘warpaint’ pose themselves.

“It was a very clever idea: a great way of using the product within the image – the product itself will always be rubbed in (and therefore invisible) when used, so the warpaint idea was a clever visual solution. It also had a sense of drama.

“They listened carefully to the guidance from the professional photographer (who lent us his camera and experience!) and concentrated on the task. The result was a photo that was well composed, dramatic, and showed a good use of the product branding.

“It was great team work.

“The girls were being presented with their prizes by their headmaster in front of the whole school assembly at the end of term, so we look forward to hearing how that went down!”

Tomorrow's talent in PR

Choosing a career hasn't got any easier for today's youngsters, so Target was really pleased to be able to take part in a recent 'have a go' skills event at Gloucester Rugby Club.

The event saw hundreds of teenagers from schools across the county taking a couple of hours out of the classroom to sample skills from bricklaying and hairdressing, to 3-d computer design in engineering and, of course, PR.

Target's apprentice Courtney (pictured chatting with pupils) designed a couple of simple challenges based on real client scenarios - launching a new beauty product aimed at the teen market or opening a new Specsavers branch in the heart of a local high street. Pupils could choose to tell their story in the opening paragraphs of a press release, or create a photo that would appeal to the press. The incentive of a prize for the best in each category added a little extra motivation.

With some personal guidance from Courtney and Target chief exec Sarah, plus a photographer from Cirencester College on hand to lend a camera and his years of professional experience, the 14- and 15-year olds came up with some great entries. We'll be revealing the winners before the end of term!

Target's new home

Target Public Relations has moved into new offices in Cheltenham.

The company has set up its new base at 105/107 Bath Road, half a mile from its former home.

“It’s a great move for us,” said Chief Executive Sarah Bryars.

“We wanted to stay in Cheltenham, close to our local clients such as ADEY Professional Heating Solutions and Amano.

“After eight years in a beautiful but rambling Georgian building in Painswick Road, we really appreciate the practical benefits of a modern open-plan office.

“We carried out a major restructure this year and having a new home is a fitting way to consolidate our position in the market place and the new direction in which we’re heading.”

Target began as an advertising and design agency in 1977 based in Bayshill Road. It expanded into marketing and digital services, and began offering public relations in 1996. PR is now its speciality.

Chairman Colin Spencer, who joined Target in 1994, has seen the company through three moves in 17 years.

“We’re proud that Cheltenham remains our home and that we have continually been able to adapt to the ever-changing commercial climate,” he said.

New offices for Target

As well as winning awards, helping celebs perfect their tans, setting up interviews for Cheltenham Film Festival guests Barry Norman and Mark Kermode, plus the daily successes of generating great stories for clients, October saw the Target team move offices.

Despite some IT teething troubles, we’re now settled in our bright and sunny offices overlooking the iconic Cheltenham College lawns on Bath Road.

Movie magic comes to town

The second Cheltenham Film Festival is ready to roll and it’s set to be a blockbuster.

The festival from 4-6 November includes an audience with TV film pundit Barry Norman, an interview with playwright Steven Berkoff, and a showing of the 1924 silent film Piccadilly at the Daffodil Restaurant, the splendid Art Deco former picture palace in Suffolk Parade.

Target is sponsoring the festival by handling the PR. Festival director Adam Clarke admitted the team’s support has been invaluable. “Target has been with us from day one – the word ‘godsend’ doesn’t even begin to cover how brilliant they’ve been,” said Adam, who is juggling his festival work with his PhD studies, while his co-director Martin Pilkington is a full-time teacher.

Target’s Chief Executive Sarah Bryars said: “Adam and Martin’s enthusiasm means there’s never a dull moment. We’re proud to be involved and really excited about the weekend.

“We’re all planning a Target night out to watch the screening of ‘Upside Down – The Creation Records Story’ which will be followed by a special club night at Thirteen Degrees.”

Most of the festival events take place in the Parabola Arts Centre. For more info and to buy tickets visit www.cheltenhamfilmfestival.com

Strictly tanning!

The Christmas countdown return of Strictly Come Dancing has got the whole Target team thinking sequins, samba and salsa! (Well, perhaps with the exception of Colin who is more concerned about the new whip regulations, although we think that’s something to do with fillies of the four-legged variety.)

And, as the tangoed contestants hit the dance floor, two of the celebrities are getting our vote this year, but not primarily for their dancing skills.

As the result of a recent mailer of SLG Beauty’s Velvotan mitt (a handy little tool to apply fake tan which helps avoid streaks and tell-tale orange hands) to all the contestants on the show, we received thank-yous from Anita Dobson and Holly Valance.

The hand written note from Anita Dobson particularly touched us and we’ll be keenly watching her performance, and tan, from now on!