Middleton learners bank on knowledge

Tom Bell, delivering financial awareness training in Middleton

A group of unemployed learners from Middleton and Rochdale have received free financial management training from a TSB bank manager.

The learners are currently completing the Employability Skills course with Groundwork, to give them the skills and confidence to find a job. During the free two-week course, they have been taking part in transferable skills and job match sessions, CV workshops and mock-interviews.

The group of nine learners have also benefitted from financial awareness training including a tutorial from Tom Bell, senior branch manager at TSB bank in Middleton. Tom donates one hour a month as an employee volunteer to support unemployed learners at Groundwork.

Tom said: “We are a bank with a clear purpose: To be the pioneering bank that creates value for local people, local businesses and the local economies in which we operate. Local banking is how we’ll do that. So the more we help our customers and their communities thrive, the more successful the TSB bank will be.”

As part of the financial awareness session Tom covered debt management and budgeting, utilising his experience as branch manager and providing real-life examples.
Nikki Shorrocks from Rochdale is one of the learners who received the training. She said: ”It was really helpful, I've never had a bank account but thanks to what Tom explained about the ID needed I'll be doing it next week.”

Janet Ratchford, Team Leader at Groundwork, added: “As a charity we really value support from local organisations, whether that’s through employee volunteering or providing work experience to our learners. We are extremely grateful to Tom and TSB for the time and experience provided to our Employability Skills participants.”