Employers back new scheme to help youngsters into work
Tuesday, 13th March 2012.
An influential group of Suffolk employers pledged their support to give the county’s young people the best possible start to their careers at a business event in Ipswich today.
The event, entitled Education, Experience, Employability – Supporting Successful Futures Together, brought together business leaders from every sector with a clear objective to raise young people’s aspirations through schemes to encourage them into training and work.
It is estimated that there are 1,250 young people aged 16-18 in Suffolk not in education, employment or training (NEETs). This initiative aims to support young people from 16 through to the age of 25.
Employers took the opportunity to showcase successful schemes already in place, including industry visits, training to develop employability skills, mentoring and work experience and apprenticeship opportunities.
New employers from organisations of every size got involved with the aim to provide similar schemes.
Today's event champions Suffolk County Council’s Backing Young Suffolk initiative, which is about local councils, businesses, schools, higher education providers and others working together to give young people a chance by providing opportunities to raise their aspirations.
Suffolk Agricultural Association sponsored the event in partnership with the county council and county-based businesses.
Cllr Judy Terry, Suffolk County Council's portfolio holder for the greenest county, economy and skills, who spoke at the event, said: “Today was such an important opportunity to bring the cream of Suffolk business together in one place to tackle the issue of youth unemployment head-on.
"I was extremely impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm on show. Our keynote speakers from BT, and smaller companies such as Jeffries of Bacton and Offshoot Films, who are based in Sudbury, demonstrated how organisations large and small can support young people to develop the skills they need to enter the workforce.”
Young people from University Campus Suffolk, Suffolk One and local schools made impassioned presentations about their positive experiences of work thanks to visits from business leaders, mentoring and working on business projects.
Cllr Graham Newman, portfolio holder for children, schools and young people’s services said: “We want to unlock the potential of Suffolk’s young people by preparing them for the world of work, especially those who are not intending to take up sixth form or further education.
"This particularly applies to children who have been in care - we need to do all we can to encourage and equip them for enduring career or educational opportunities once they have left the care environment.
“By involving as many local businesses as possible at today’s event, we want to maximise opportunities for employment and training at such a crucial stage when the economy is under so many pressures and the jobs market more competitive than ever before.
"This is about supporting Suffolk’s young people, who in turn can truly benefit our local economy by bringing increased growth through employment.”
The event marks a first step in what will be an ongoing relationship between education providers and business to make a real difference to young people’s prospects.
A follow-up event is planned in the summer for secondary school headteachers and local employers, with Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and former government policy adviser, confirmed as keynote speaker.
Catherine Chambers, education liaison officer at the Institute of Directors, and chief executive of Easilife Cleaning Services Ltd, attended today’s event.
She said: “It is so vital that we as business leaders find the resources to offer young people real opportunities for work, growth and encouragement, in whatever way we are able.
“I would like us to set a challenge: if every company in Suffolk took on one young person, we could go a very long way to tackle youth unemployment in the county. Perhaps we could start this initiative, leading by example for the rest of the UK.”
The event, entitled Education, Experience, Employability – Supporting Successful Futures Together, brought together business leaders from every sector with a clear objective to raise young people’s aspirations through schemes to encourage them into training and work.
It is estimated that there are 1,250 young people aged 16-18 in Suffolk not in education, employment or training (NEETs). This initiative aims to support young people from 16 through to the age of 25.
Employers took the opportunity to showcase successful schemes already in place, including industry visits, training to develop employability skills, mentoring and work experience and apprenticeship opportunities.
New employers from organisations of every size got involved with the aim to provide similar schemes.
Today's event champions Suffolk County Council’s Backing Young Suffolk initiative, which is about local councils, businesses, schools, higher education providers and others working together to give young people a chance by providing opportunities to raise their aspirations.
Suffolk Agricultural Association sponsored the event in partnership with the county council and county-based businesses.
Cllr Judy Terry, Suffolk County Council's portfolio holder for the greenest county, economy and skills, who spoke at the event, said: “Today was such an important opportunity to bring the cream of Suffolk business together in one place to tackle the issue of youth unemployment head-on.
"I was extremely impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm on show. Our keynote speakers from BT, and smaller companies such as Jeffries of Bacton and Offshoot Films, who are based in Sudbury, demonstrated how organisations large and small can support young people to develop the skills they need to enter the workforce.”
Young people from University Campus Suffolk, Suffolk One and local schools made impassioned presentations about their positive experiences of work thanks to visits from business leaders, mentoring and working on business projects.
Cllr Graham Newman, portfolio holder for children, schools and young people’s services said: “We want to unlock the potential of Suffolk’s young people by preparing them for the world of work, especially those who are not intending to take up sixth form or further education.
"This particularly applies to children who have been in care - we need to do all we can to encourage and equip them for enduring career or educational opportunities once they have left the care environment.
“By involving as many local businesses as possible at today’s event, we want to maximise opportunities for employment and training at such a crucial stage when the economy is under so many pressures and the jobs market more competitive than ever before.
"This is about supporting Suffolk’s young people, who in turn can truly benefit our local economy by bringing increased growth through employment.”
The event marks a first step in what will be an ongoing relationship between education providers and business to make a real difference to young people’s prospects.
A follow-up event is planned in the summer for secondary school headteachers and local employers, with Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and former government policy adviser, confirmed as keynote speaker.
Catherine Chambers, education liaison officer at the Institute of Directors, and chief executive of Easilife Cleaning Services Ltd, attended today’s event.
She said: “It is so vital that we as business leaders find the resources to offer young people real opportunities for work, growth and encouragement, in whatever way we are able.
“I would like us to set a challenge: if every company in Suffolk took on one young person, we could go a very long way to tackle youth unemployment in the county. Perhaps we could start this initiative, leading by example for the rest of the UK.”
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