Careers Hub launched to improve opportunities for young people

The Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has today (January 29) launched a Careers Hub to ensure that careers outcomes are improved for all young people across the city region.

The Liverpool City Region Careers Hub will help schools to meet the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of careers education by supporting them to better engage with employers, link curriculum learning to careers, and enabling young people to gain experience of the workplace.

The eight benchmarks are: A stable careers programme; learning from career and labour market information; addressing the needs of each pupil; linking curriculum learning to careers; encounters with employers and employees; experiences of workplaces; encounters with further and higher education; and personal guidance.

The Hub will work with 33 local schools and colleges working together with universities, training providers, employers and career professionals to improve careers education.

Each school will have support from an enterprise advisor and access to a bursary for training and support such as careers events and workshops to strengthen links with employers, careers leaders training and professional development for teaching staff.

Asif Hamid, Chair of the Liverpool City Region LEP said: “The Careers Hub will ensure our young people have more opportunities to connect with the world of work and future employers.

“By building on the success of our Enterprise Advisor Network we will ensure students are given timely and relevant careers advice and meaningful work experience.

“Importantly, it will also enable businesses to raise awareness of the skills and attitudes that they require from their future workforce.”

He added: “Having a dedicated Careers Hub will pay dividends for the future our city region leading to improved employment opportunities for those who live and work here.”

Careers Hubs have been set up with funding from The Careers and Enterprise Company to inspire and prepare young people for the fast-changing world of work and are a central part of the Governments Careers Strategy to help transform careers education.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Careers advice is absolutely key to ensuring that our young people can fulfil their potential.

“Providing young people with up-to-date knowledge of work, training and educational options will pay dividends for them and for our city region’s economy.”

The LEP also manages the Enterprise Adviser Network for the city region, which is part-funded by The Careers & Enterprise Company, to bridge the gap between education and employers with the use of volunteer advisers who visit schools and colleges.

Currently 110 schools are engaged with more than 80 enterprise advisers, representing a range of sectors across the city region.

Claudia Harris, chief executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “The Careers & Enterprise Company will be working closely with the Liverpool City Region LEP to ensure that the new Careers Hub is a real catalyst in bringing together the fragmented landscape of careers and enterprise, supporting programmes that work and filling gaps in skills provision.

“It will also help local businesses in the area, build on the LEP’s careers strategy and provide better coverage across the country.”