Two young men from County Durham who underwent a training scheme and then were taken on by a local company have told unemployed over 18’s how they did it. Kieron Johnson, 21 and Scott Musgrave, 25, both from Newton Aycliffe, spoke to visitors at the National Careers Service event in Bishop Auckland to encourage them to sign up to the Talent Match Scheme. Northern communities’ charity DISC runs the Talent Match programme in County Durham for local young people. The scheme provides tailored support with job searches, funding, training and work experience for people aged between 18 and 24 who are struggling to find work. Kieron said: “Before working with Talent Match, I was stuck in dead end jobs. “Now, after working with people on-site with different trades and ages, I’m much more confident. “I’m happy that I’ve got a real job that offers career progression and getting my Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card means I can work on building sites across the country.” Kieron now works for More Time, a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Newton Aycliffe. He spoke to young people who showed an interest in the programme. Scott has also started working for More Time. He said “this is the first proper job I’ve had. I never thought that I’d be able to do something like this. Or to be able to speak to other people to persuade them to get some good training.” Kate Thompson, DISC’s Youth Coach, manages the Talent Match programme. She said: “Kieron and Scott’s positive attitude helped recruit more than 30 people at the event for one-to-one sessions, to begin the process of securing training or employment.” The event was organised by The National Careers Service and was held at Bishop Auckland Town Hall. As well as Talent Match, well-known organisations including the NHS, HM Revenue and Customs and The Army were also in attendance.