UK Training Industry Press Releases

Ben Turner, National Sales Manager for the Institute of Sales & Marketing Management (ISMM), is helping unemployed young people in Bedfordshire improve their chances of getting jobs in sales and marketing.

Ben will be a guest speaker on a programme organised by Eureka Youth, a social enterprise company specialising in delivering tailor made training courses - for primary and secondary schools along with councils - in financial literacy, enterprise capability and entrepreneurship education. 

Kirsten Whitehouse, Eureka's Business Development Manager, explained: "All Eureka's programmes teach practical skills in managing money and preparing young people for jobs.  In addition they raise students' self esteem, confidence, problem-solving ability, motivation and communication skills through challenging games and activities, teamwork and goal setting."

In mid-March, in conjunction with local youth workers, Eureka is running a programme in Houghton Regis, in Bedfordshire, for unemployed young people who are studying for level 1 qualifications.

"We always like to invite the occasional guest to come and meet our young people, inspire them and tell them about their own background," said Kirsten. "With that in mind, we've asked Ben to tell them about the ISMM and why sales and marketing skills open all sorts of doors."

Kirsten added that Eureka aims to nurture the next generation, and bring real commercial expertise and business experience into the classroom, the holiday club and youth centres - making this part of young people's everyday experience.

"Eureka is about inspiring self belief as well as fostering commercial acumen, business and financial skills in young people," she added.  "We do this by designing programmes for each organisation we work with using play and games at a younger age and activities; challenges and business simulation for older young people."

Ben Turner, the ISMM's National Sales Manager, said: "Over the years, the worlds of education and businesses seem to have drifted apart and, now, there's a view in the world of work - particularly among employers - that the education system is not producing young people who are work-ready.

"Research by the CBI has revealed that some 74 per cent of employers believe that school leavers lack business awareness and 50 per cent say that young people don't have the commercial skills that they need to survive in the business world.

"So the ISMM, which promotes sales excellence across UK businesses, is delighted to be able to help in this Eureka programme to enable young people to develop key, real world skills to ensure their future economic well being."

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Notes for editors:

About Eureka

Eureka - based in St Albans, in Hertfordshire - is a dynamic social enterprise company specialising in delivering tailor made training courses for primary and secondary schools, along with councils, in financial literacy, enterprise capability and entrepreneurship education. All Eureka's programmes teach practical skills in managing money and preparing young people for jobs.  In addition they raise students' self esteem, confidence, problem-solving ability, motivation and communication skills through challenging games and activities, teamwork and goal setting. For further details, visit: www.eurekaschools.co.uk, email kwhitehouse@eurekaschools.co.uk or call 01727 850668.

About The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management

The Institute of Sales & Marketing Management (ISMM) is the UK's largest association for sales professionals. Founded in 1911 to promote standards of excellence in sales and sales management and to enhance the status and profile of sales as a profession, the ISMM supports, represents and promotes the sales profession. It has been the authoritative voice of selling and the custodian of sales standards, ethics and best practice for many years.

The ISMM is also responsible for establishing benchmarks of professionalism in sales. It is the only membership body recognised by the UK Government regulatory body Ofqual as an awarding organisation to offer qualifications in sales, marketing and sales management.

The ISMM's annual British Excellence in Sales & Marketing Awards (BESMA) are the most prestigious awards for the sales profession.

Further information from:

Ben Turner, ISMM, +44 (0)1582 840001; bturner@ismm.co.uk  

Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, +44 (0)1727 860405; bob.little@boblittlepr.com