Student shows importance of 'cadet' style training with B&Q (From The Northern Echo)

Student shows importance of 'cadet' style training with B&Q

8:00am Tuesday 31st January 2012 in North-East Business News By Owen McAteer

A SIXTH form student has been building on the benefits of a 'cadet' style scheme at one of the country's largest DIY chains.

17-year-old Josh Watson is being mentored by B&Q's national business development director, Ian Herrett, after being chosen from young staff across the country for the firm's ten strong youth board.

B&Q's youth board aims to provide a group of 16 to 18-year-olds with an insight into big business.

The initial meeting between Josh and Mr Herrett took place at the former's sixth form in Darlington.

Josh was chosen for the programme after working part-time at his local B&Q.

Designed to mirror B&Q's actual board, each youth board member has been twinned with an official board member and has begun a mentoring process.

Working with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the youth board has been challenged to think about how they can redesign B&Q's future to best keep business thriving in a environment of rising material and energy prices, coupled with the increased cost of waste disposal.

Josh described meeting Ian as "amazing" and added: "We've also met Dame Ellen MacArthur, who is truly inspirational and showed us no matter how hard and unlikely the future or our ideas maybe, that we should believe in them as anything can be done."

The youngsters work and ideas will be presented to B&Q's entire board and Dame Ellen in July.

Mr Herrett said: "Young people have a huge amount to offer in terms of a current viewpoint and creative ideas so it is commercially viable to listen to them."

Each week space on Business Echo will be given over for young people to issue a "come and get me" call to potential employers or to highlight inspiring stories as part of our Foundation for Jobs initiative.

For further details email echobusiness@nne.co.uk