Member Article

Jobs boost at North East training provider

A Tyneside-based assistive technology company has bucked the economic trend after more than trebling its workforce in less than a year.

E-Quality Learning, which delivers online and onsite training support to individuals with disabilities, has added around 20 new roles already and has plans for more jobs to help it deal with increased demand nationwide for its pioneering service.

As part of its employment policy, the company has adopted a positive attitude towards hiring people with disabilities, especially those with IT and training experience. Following the recent recruitment drive, around a third of its 30-strong workforce have a disability that range from dyslexia to cerebral palsy to hearing impairment.

The approach by e-Quality Learning is a welcome boost for the region’s disabled workforce following recent announcements at Remploy, which has led to redundancies for 138 people at factories across the North-East.

Prior to launching in 2011, the company paired with Northumbria University to conduct academic research into disabilities such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism and mental health related learning difficulties and specifically how they affect cognitive development.

Using the findings, e-Quality Learning developed and built a new training model that included online training and learning support that learners can access 24/7. It is the only organisation in the UK that then provides ongoing assistance to support individuals after the initial one-to-one training is complete.

Chris Quickfall, managing director at e-Quality Learning, said: “After introducing our new technology onto the marketplace back in 2010, we’ve experienced huge interest in our training method due to the excellent outcomes it has delivered in helping people with various disabilities deal with challenges in the workplace, in education and when seeking employment.

“As a result of the uptake of our services from government bodies such as the NHS, Student Finance England and other higher education institutions, we have been able to take on many new people in the North East and throughout the UK.

“With an ongoing recruitment drive well underway, we are always on the look out for new people regardless of disability to support our growth and assist in delivering our training services to help people across the UK,” added Chris.

Fast-growing e-Quality Learning has helped over 2,000 people in the last six months alone. In recognition of its research-based foundation and commitment to technology, the company picked-up a Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (CELS) award last year.

The training expert’s services are aimed at large corporations, DWP, local councils, Access to Work, universities, colleges and schools that all have learners or employees who require assistive technology training support.

Image: Chris Quickfall at e-Quality Learning

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by e-Quality Learning .