Factory assembly workers Richie Mason and Yosef Drra (pictured) are spearheading a project to deliver thousands of new kitchens to social housing tenants after overcoming huge challenges in their lives.
Yosef, 47, fled war-torn Syria 15 years ago, working in the hospitality sector across the UK and Richie, also 47, was out of work for more than two years, before both built new careers through Bernicia and the New Start programme.
Together with their colleague Shay Dixon, 21, they are at the heart of the team at JTC Furniture in Cramlington, working on a major new contract to build and deliver thousands of kitchens for the North East Housing Partnership.
Bernicia and seven other housing associations and local authorities have pooled their kitchen investment programmes for the next ten years to deliver maximum value for tenants.
JTC Furniture will supply the kitchen units from a new production line at its Cramlington base – the partnership saving the organisations £10m in costs over the next decade and creating six new job opportunities at JTC to service the contract.
For Yosef and Richie, the contract means further job security after years of uncertainty and zero hours contracts.
Yosef said: “This job has changed my life. Everything is better now. JTC sent me on a forklift driving course, taught me how to build kitchens and trusted me.
“When I started I just saw boxes and units and I had no idea I could be better in the future. Slowly I learned a lot and now I feel I have the experience to do the job.”
Richie, who is a Bernicia tenant, said: “Like Yosef, this job changed my life straight away. I totally love it, me and Yosef said we love coming in here every day and learn new things every day.
“I feel proud that we’ll be building kitchens that help make people’s lives better.”
The Government’s New Start scheme is aimed at social housing residents, offering paid, five-month career-starter placements to get people into work who are detached from the jobs market.
Colin Tweddell, JTC Executive Director Social Housing, worked closely with Bernicia Employability Business Partner Luke Dargie to access the New Start programme when the Dundee-based manufacturer expanded into the North East needing to recruit a reliable workforce.
“This contract is massive for us but it’s also about social value,” said Colin. “We are investing in the region and creating jobs in the region, we have a business plan to expand so rather than extend the big factory we’ve got in Dundee, why not open regional hubs and bring good jobs into those regions working with people to improve services in those regions.
“What came across to me when I spoke with Yosef, Richie and Shay was their positive attitude – they wanted to work.
“This will become a full-blown assembly plant at which point we’ll need another six full-time assemblers, where there’ll be an opportunity to work with Bernicia to bring more tenants into the business.”
Luke said: “It’s fantastic to work with Colin and his team at JTC who are so enthused by what Bernicia and New Start are doing to help tenants find work and build careers.
“For Colin as a local businessman, being able to give back to North East communities by creating job opportunities and helping provide quality homes to live in is hugely important.”
