Three caretakers working for a Redcar regeneration and housing company have successfully gained distinctions in NVQ qualifications that have added a number of skills to their abilities, including plastering and decorating.

The trio from Coast & Country – Dave Phillips, Lee Wright and Mark Graham – have all been employed as caretakers at the firm for a significant period and, when the opportunity came up to add to their technical skills, they lept at the change.

They studied for an NVQ Level 2 in Caretaking, which Coast & Country chief executive Iain Sim said would allow them to carry out basic construction and cosmetic tasks in the course of their work.

“At Coast & Country we take real pride in staff development, encouraging employees to expand their skills and knowledge wherever possible,” he explained. “The caretakers all worked really hard to achieve distinctions. They are a credit to themselves and Coast & Country.

“We have seen the benefit of their training already as they are all tackling more complex projects, such as plastering, painting and decorating, all of which contributes to improving the homes of our residents.”

Mark will put his new skills to work in his role as the company’s vacant property caretaker, while Dave and Lee both serve the company as part of the community investment team.

Lee said that the qualification had taken some dedication to study and work for, involving both practical and academic elements, but it has given him a broader confidence in his professional abilities.

He said, “It is great to have a qualification based on the work that I do every day. It has even given me the confidence and skills to take on more challenging projects.”