The Chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Steve Fogg, has met with the Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, during his visit to Lancashire to see how careers education has been transformed in the county, improving the skills base and driving economic growth.
During the visit, which marked National Careers Week, the Secretary of State heard how the LEP is supporting increased collaboration with local employers and schools and colleges to support excellent careers education to ensure young people are able to make informed choices about their future career through the award winning Careers Enterprise Hub.
Speaking after the event, Steve said “We are delighted that the Education Secretary is visiting Lancashire to see our award-winning Careers Hub in action.
“Schools and colleges offer high standards of careers provision across the board in Lancashire and the Enterprise Adviser Network and the Careers Hub have helped achieve that, working collaboratively with business.
“Through this kind of excellent careers provision, we are improving the job prospects of young people and creating the pipeline of talent that local businesses need to thrive.
“This help promotes inclusive growth and maximises social mobility to the benefit of the local community as a whole in Lancashire.”
The Minister also met Year 10 pupils from Shuttleworth College, a secondary school in Padiham, at BAE Systems’ state-of-the-art Academy for Skills & Knowledge (ASK) near Preston, as well as BAE apprentices who shared their experiences of careers education in the county.
Steve added, ”The LEP has prioritised the development of a relevant and skilled workforce that employers need to grow, as a key part of its £1bn strategy to transform Lancashire’s economy and drive significant, inclusive economic growth in the county.
” We have already has invested tens of millions of pounds in new facilities and initiatives designed to ensure Lancashire’s workforce has the skills needed to enable businesses in key sectors of the economy to thrive. It also has an outstanding track record in working with employers to help deliver careers support and advice”.
In addition to the Lancashire Careers Hub, the LEP has established Lancashire’s Enterprise Adviser Network, a network of senior businesspeople who volunteer to help schools and colleges plan and develop their careers programmes. The network is co-funded by Lancashire County Council on behalf of the LEP and the Careers & Enterprise Company and is delivered by Inspira.
John Yarham, Interim Chief Executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said:
“Careers education has been transformed across the country in recent years, and schools and colleges in Lancashire are leading the way. We are delighted the Secretary of State got a chance to see the great work of schools like Shuttleworth and employers like BAE Systems, and we hope he’ll take that message back to Westminster so other can learn from this example of excellence.”
Peter Caney, Head of Early Careers & Skills at BAE Systems, said:
“It is a pleasure to host today’s visit and help showcase the importance of raising pupils’ aspirations through an inspiring careers provision. BAE Systems is a proud Cornerstone Employer and committed to providing meaningful opportunities for young people to experience the world of work and STEM related career pathways. Working in partnership with the Careers & Enterprise Company helps to connect schools, colleges and employers together to ensure our efforts are effectively channelled in the most impactful way.”
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