A local businessman has been giving students from Horizon Community College an insight into the world of work at Stanton Logistics in Goldthorpe. Chris McGinley, co-founder and Managing Director, was attending an employment forum when he spoke to Sarah Harrison, Assistant Principal at Horizon, and was asked to participate in mock interviews with students and to subsequently host a question and answer session. Seeing the enthusiasm and interest during the sessions, Chris invited some of the students to visit the Goldthorpe site for a morning earlier this month to show them how the business operates. They got to sit in on operations meetings with directors and senior managers before being split into groups to learn more about the different aspects of the business, as well as receiving a full tour of the site and warehouse. The visit was enjoyed by everyone, and Chris has been asked to sit on the panel for business presentations by more students at Horizon in the future. Councillor Robert Frost, Cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said: “It’s fantastic to see a local business giving back to our young people. “It’s important that our students see a variety of career pathways for themselves in Barnsley for when they leave college, whether it’s as a part of someone else’s business or by starting one of their own. “My thanks go to Chris and the team at Stanton Logistics for facilitating this magnificent opportunity.” Chris added: “Having the boys visit us for the morning was a brilliant success and I hope they enjoyed their time with us. “For me, it is about giving back to the community and encouraging students to work hard and be regular attenders at school, dovetailing that into the work environment when school life comes to an end and the importance of ‘turning up’ becomes even more relevant. “My message to them is to find your thing in life and pursue it with energy and consistency as money then becomes a by-product of enjoying yourself."

“I came from a very working-class background of steelworkers and started with £6,000, which now has turned into a multi-million pound group of businesses. Anything really is possible. I’ve proved that and continue to progress my businesses as I reach the age of 50 this year.” Stanton Logistics is a transport company who covers the United Kingdom, employing more than 150 people. Established in 2007, they have three sites based in Goldthorpe, Doncaster and Newton Aycliffe with a new site in Luton set to open later this year. For more information about Stanton Logistics, go to www.stantonlogistics.co.uk.