Aileen and Yvonne sparkle at Careers guidance UK Awards

Two careers advisers from Northern Ireland have won top prizes at the UK Careers Guidance Awards 2009.

Aileen Graham, from GEMS NI, won the coveted UK Careers Guidance Practitioner of the Year Award and Yvonne Leslie, a Careers Adviser for Careers Service NI, Department for Employment and Learning in Ballymoney, also received recognition for her work in career planning.

Aileen is employed by GEMS NI and works on the South Belfast Local Employment Intermediary Service (LEMIS) programme which is funded by the Department for Employment and Learning. It provides tailored assistance to help unemployed people find and hold on to a job.

Aileen’s work in LEMIS in reducing social exclusion and providing impartial employment advice was nationally recognized at the Institute of Careers Guidance (ICG) Annual Conference held in Blackpool earlier this month.

Sir Reg Empey, Minister for Employment and Learning congratulated both Aileen and Yvonne on their success: “Aileen’s award is a fantastic accolade for my Department’s LEMIS initiative, for GEMS NI and for careers guidance practice in Northern Ireland.

“To see the skills and expertise of my Department’s staff, such as Yvonne’s, recognized at a national level is a great achievement. With the current economic downturn my Department will continue to provide a first-class Careers Service which is committed to providing support and guidance for the unemployed of all ages across Northern Ireland.”

Speaking about her award Aileen said: “The LEMIS service is a shining example of real partnership working between the Department for Employment and Learning and the Voluntary/Community Sector, where we work together to support people towards employment. I am delighted to be chosen for this award and that it recognizes the high quality service that we provide in LEMIS.”

Yvonne’s recognition was based on her career guidance work using an assessment tool called MAPS (Measuring Attitude, Aptitude and Personal Style). With MAPS, Yvonne helps her clients identify career themes best suited to them. Each year, JCA Occupational Psychologists, owner of MAPS, offers a £750 bursary for clients who best demonstrate that they have made significant personal development through activities involving MAPS.

Yvonne submitted several nominees and two of these nominations were successful. This is the second year that she has had a client who has been successful in winning a bursary.

Notes to editors:

1. Established in 2002 to address long term unemployment and economic inactivity in East and South Belfast, GEMS NI (formerly Belfast GEMS) has developed to become a service that is recognised as delivering excellence in employment and employability interventions.

2. GEMS NI has been delivering the Department for Employment and Learning’s Local Employment Intermediary Service (LEMIS) in South Belfast since April 2007.

3. LEMIS provides tailored assistance to help unemployed people, many of whom may have been out of work for some considerable time and in need of personal help and support, to find and hold onto a job. The service is delivered by community-based organizations and is particularly helpful to those who, for whatever reason, are not presently using the statutory job-finding services.

4. Careers Service NI is an all-age guidance service and aims to develop effective career decision makers leading to increased and appropriate participation in education, training and employment. Professionally qualified guidance practitioners are located in Jobs and Benefits offices, JobCentres and Careers offices throughout Northern Ireland. Details can be found at the Careers Service website

5. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch, on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.