Pictured: Theresa Loughlin

With UK unemployment hitting a 17-year high, a Telford-based company is helping people onto a new career path in a bid to buck the trend in Shropshire. 

Unemployment figures are the highest since 1994, and research shows the total number of employees in the UK recently fell by 63,000 due to job losses.

And companies across Shropshire are reaching out to those struggling as the economic situation fails to improve.

Telford-based Macbrac Training and Development is offering cost effective opportunities to people who are out of work, looking to change careers or looking to do more in their current role the chance to learn the skills to train or teach.

Theresa Loughlin, training and development advisor, said: "Following the Government campaign, 'if you can, teach', a lot of people are more interested in learning about how they can train or teach, not only in schools but in adult education and in the workplace.

"Because of this, and the fact that our courses can be done at extremely flexible times, the City and Guilds award we offer has become more popular.

"We aim to train trainers and allow them to be comfortable in any teaching situation, showing them how to plan sessions, make them inclusive and motivational, and telling them about the importance of assessment and record keeping."

The course is a City and Guilds Award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTTLS) and Theresa said it is hoped that by learning teaching skills the delegates will open up more opportunities for themselves in what is a difficult time for employers and employees.