Kirklees announced as Careers Hub to help transform careers education

Kirklees announced as Careers Hub to help transform careers education

12 July 2018

Kirklees is to become one of 20 Careers Hubs around England to help transform careers education for young people.

Led by Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP), the Kirklees Hub, will be made up of 35 local schools and colleges working together with universities, training providers, employers and career professionals to improve careers education.

 

Benchmarks

The Kirklees Hub is one of 20 being established by The Careers & Enterprise Company as it scales up a model successfully piloted in the North East, supported by £5 million of funding. It will have access to support and funding to help them meet the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of excellent careers education, including:

  • A Hub Lead to help coordinate activity and build networks
  • Access to bursaries for individual schools and colleges to train careers leaders
  • Central Hub Fund equivalent to around £1,000 per school or college
  • Access to funding for schools to support employer encounters where pupils have the opportunity to meet people in business.

The LEP Enterprise team will focus on engaging parents and influencers and removing barriers to social mobility, supporting schools and colleges to give valuable teacher training and with the ambition to create an employer encounter for every young person each year they are in education.

 

#futuregoals

Enterprise Coordinators from The LEP have already made huge progress in inspiring and supporting young people to make informed career choices through the current #futuregoals campaign. #futuregoals, which aims to inspire and support young people through real-life case studies, encounters with businesses and local employers, interactive assemblies and a range of classroom resources, has reached over 1 million young people and their influencers.

The new Kirklees Careers Hub is backed by business partners including Reliance Precision and Cummins Turbochargers and supported by Huddersfield University, Go Higher West Yorkshire, C&K Careers and the Mid Yorkshire Chambers of Commerce.

 

Stronger workforce

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leader of Bradford Council, said: "Becoming a Career Hub adds to the work we are already doing to help future-proof the economy for Kirklees and the wider Leeds City Region. By investing in the young people of Kirklees, through careers advice, training, business encounters and work experience, we will build a stronger workforce for the future.

"Building on the existing work of the Enterprise Coordinators at the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), we aim to provide further support to every secondary aged young person through a range of initiatives, teacher resources and Enterprise Adviser programmes."

"I'm delighted that Kirklees has been chosen to be one of 20 Careers Hubs across the country by The Careers & Enterprise Company and look forward to the prospects and opportunities it will bring to many young people across the Region."

Careers Hubs are part of the Government's Careers Strategy, published in December to improve careers education and help prepare young people for the world of work.

 

Positive outcome

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council said: "I am delighted that Kirklees has been selected to host the career hub. I am sure that this new way of working will have a positive outcome on the futures of many of our young people. By combining high quality education and career's advice, with access to real life businesses and appropriate funding, I'm sure we will see young people developing the skills needed by local businesses and organisations. This will not only benefit the young people it will also be good for the local economy."

Liz Tandy, Assistant Head Teacher of Honley High School said: "Careers Education, Information and Guidance is a crucial aspect of learning for young people so I am delighted our school will have the opportunity to be part of the Careers Hub. It will enable us not just to improve the experience of our students and ensure they're ready for the next step after high school, but also to develop our staff expertise and collaborate even more closely with other education and apprenticeship providers and employers. This is a very exciting time for us!"

 

Valuable links

Tim Bennett, Director of myCloud Media Ltd said: "I am pleased to assist Honley High School with ongoing support through the LEP Enterprise Adviser initiative and look forward to seeing improved careers education to help young people prepare for the world of work in their chosen career path.

"The new Kirklees Careers Hub will provide much needed valuable links and support with local businesses for schools and colleges in our region."

Claudia Harris, Chief Executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: "We're excited by the potential impact of the Hubs. If employers, schools and colleges can better prepare young people for the world of work, we're not just benefiting the future economy, but improving prospects for thousands of young people."

Find out more about the #futuregoals campaign to inspire and support young people