Princely help from Michelin

Arlene Creighton, Private Sector Manager with The Princes Trust is pictured with Katie McCormick and Chris Daniells.

The company has sponsored the Prince’s Trust Development Awards which will allow local young people to invest in the training or equipment required to enhance their employability and career prospects.

Awards are given for a wide range of different financial barriers and provide an immediate and tangible impact on young people, enabling them to overcome barriers and achieve their goals within a short space of time.

Katie McCormick has been profoundly deaf since birth and has recently received cochlear implants.

Her first language is sign language and whilst she can lip read, she struggles in noisy environments.

Katie says: “I had chosen a career in the beauty industry and last year started a level 2 Beauty course, however, some of the machines being used interfered with my cochlear implants so I was forced to reconsider my options.

“I decided on a Level 2 Nail course at NRC and approached the Prince’s Trust for help to purchase my kit which cost £330.

“My ambition is to open my own beauty business providing services for deaf people.

“With the support of a Prince’s Trust development award I will now be able to gain some of the qualifications that will make this a reality,” Katie said.

Youth charity The Prince’s Trust helps disadvantaged young people to get their lives on track. It supports 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion.

Chris Daniells, Lean Manufacturing Coordinator, Michelin, said: “We share the Prince’s Trust’s passion for creating opportunities for young adults. We are dedicated to investing in the future of younger generations, which is why the Development Award was an obvious choice for us to support.”

Chris added: “The Prince’s Trust has already supported 213 young people in Ballymena and the surrounding area through their various programmes and we are delighted to be making a contribution that will allow them to continue their valuable work to help disadvantaged young people back into education, training or employment.”