MORE than 50 business in the North-East showed their willingness to support high school pupils discover their dream jobs.

The Hexham Courant was one of 55 companies big and small from Tynedale, and into Newcastle, which headed to Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School for its inaugural Business Breakfast.

The event was organised to forge relationships between employers and the school to boost career possibilities for the workers of the future. And the uptake and interest from local firms was large, overwhelming the organisers from the school.

Graeme Atkins, the executive headteacher of Hadrian Learning Trust which operates the school, said: “Looking at careers for our young people, you can help us shape that and, what we can give you in return, is access to fantastic young people.

“We want to work with local businesses to enable them to get the best people in this area and help these talented people stay in the region.”

Representatives from Tynedale’s largest employer, Egger, gave a presentation on how it works with the local schools and runs a successful apprenticeship scheme at its Hexham site, with 46 staff members currently learning as they earn.

Red Engineering, also based in Hexham, said it already had a great relationship with the school and had benefited from taking pupils on work experience in the past.

The firm’s office manager, Lindsay Lowes, said: “There’s 27 like-minded members of staff in a room and then there’s a question from a child which offers a fresh perspective, and we’re like ‘wow’.

“We are a very small company in Hexham and we get as much from the relationship as the school does.

“I would really encourage businesses to work with the school, if they are in a position to.”