On Friday 25 January Richard presented certificates to a number of young people who had completed training organised by a local company, Synergy Personnel Solution. The awards ceremony was held in The Ivory Lounge in Sutton town centre. 

Synergy Personnel Solutions are one of the few major businesses in Sutton South Ward and have premises just south of Sutton Station. They provide a number of services of value to the local economy. They provide training, to City and Guilds standards, towards the Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) and in Retail Knowledge. Many of their clients are unemployed, and this training helps them find their way into employment in the social care and retail distribution industries, both major local employers. Synergy UK arranges placements for their clients, and also operates a service to provide staff to local employers in these sectors.

Richard, as vice-chair of the Council’s Housing, Economy and Business Committee, has a major interest in the “Opportunity Sutton” programme, which includes a project on the theme of matching skills to jobs. 

Richard said “I think the work of this company is helping match skills to jobs, getting people trained, getting people out of unemployment and meeting the labour force needs of local employers. I was very pleased to be invited to present these certificates.”