KATIE BULMER-COOKE: A Springboard to jobs success

This week I was back over at Springboard for their open day. They put on a series of excellent workshops providing those interested in becoming an apprentice with a great opportunity to find out more about a range of career paths.

As a patron for Springboard, I really enjoy getting involved and sharing my experiences of how learning in the workplace has helped me in my business over the years and it was ace to see how engaged the potential apprentices were with the day and the workshops on offer.

Springboard is a brilliant place to learn and develop so if you or someone you know is considering an apprenticeship then now is the time, ready for a start in September.

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My new business, The National Fitness Network, is five weeks old today and I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short space of time.

The business provides our fitness loving members with exclusive deals and discounts on the biggest and best health and fitness brands. So if you go to the gym and like trainers for example, then you can get everything from 15-30% off brands such as Reebok and Newton Running.

We’ve also got a massive range of supplements, clothing, food, fitness trackers, spa breaks and loads more.

As the business has grown quickly over the last month, this week it was time to welcome a new member to the team and recruit a social media manager. It’s always a big deal to hand over a major part of your business to someone else to look after as you’ve really got to put your trust in that person.

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We received lots of excellent applications but there was one person’s CV that is online for all to see how successful he is when it comes to rocking social media.

If you’re on Facebook and live in Sunderland then no doubt you have heard of or ‘like’ the Sunderland Now page, and we are buzzing to announce that the man behind it, James Procopis, is the man for the job. And as I said to my fellow directors, the more Mackems we have in the team the better!

I can’t believe we are half way through the summer holidays already.

My favourite thing about the holidays, apart from hanging out with my little side kick all the time, is that we don’t have to rush to be at school for 9am and clock-watch so I’m not late for school pick up at 3pm.

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We’ve had some cracking days out in the city and Heidi’s favourite thing to do this last week has been to go and do exercises in Barnes and Back House Park. She’s a chip off the old block and loves nothing more than knocking out a few press ups and dips on the park benches and running up and down the steps. I’m super proud of her being little miss fitness, and I reckon she will be up to the job of taking PE lessons at school by the time the holidays come to an end.

Finally, I hope everyone had a brilliant National Mackem Day last on Friday and celebrated in true red and white style!