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Help Girls Brush up on Skills - (18/10/2007)

With the help of children's charity Barnardo's, this talented team of girls are excelling in their painting and decorating NVQ's.

They can prepare and paint walls, hang paper and climb scaffolding. But to move towards a full apprenticeship Joanne Hay, 17, from Longbenton, Faye Turnbull, 18, from Wallsend, Stacey Irvine, 17, Samantha Graham, 16, and Anne-Marie Patterson, 17, all from North Shields, need work placements.

And course leaders say they have been surprised by how difficult this has proven to be.

Excuses from firms include concerns about the language on site to toilet facilities.

Of the five, only Joanne has completed a two-week stint in the summer with FM Construction, where she helped to prepare flats in Cramlington. She said: "Some people are frightened to take girls on but work is just work. My placement was all right. I had no problems at all. They just asked how long I had been doing it."

The girls are taught at the charity's Palmersville Project and have proved among the best in a class of 30.

"Painting and decorating is all right. It's better than being stuck in the house," added Joanne.

"You learn things like health and safety in the work area."

Joanne's fellow student Faye said she was considering painting and decorating as a career and called on North East firms to give the five a chance. She added: "We are as good as any lads."

Tutor Chris Norris said it was always hard finding work placements for his students.

He explained: "It's a male-orientated environment. There are female decorators out there but trying to find them placements with employers is very difficult."

Any company that can offer the girls a work placement or donate materials should call Chris or Gary on 0191 270 1133.