Teachers and local businesses come together to bridge the skills gap at Gloucestershire's Skillsfest

Gloucestershire’s Skillsfest kicked off last week with over 70 local teachers, training providers and businesses attending an inspiring Continuing Professional Development Session (CPD).

The session included motivating speakers that were all examples of the importance of bridging the gap between education and business. Delegates heard from apprentice to CEO Neill Ricketts, Versarien, Moog Controls about their businesses close relationship with the students at Tewkesbury School, UCAS on new university application procedures and the Careers and Enterprise Company discussing how businesses can inspire young people.
 
Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, GFirst LEP, and GFutures are championing skills development and helping to close the skills gap in the county, by linking the needs of local business market to the education and skills development of the next generation of employees in Gloucestershire.
 
The CPD session encouraged teachers to think about the different options for students when they leave school, as well as calling on businesses to partner with schools to share their professional skills. The aim is for businesses to volunteer their time to become Enterprise Advisors, which means working closely with an individual school or college to help them focus on strategies for creating programmes that are motivating for young people, helping them consider the options available for their future.
 
Claudia Harris, Chief Executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, commented: “It is vitally important that young people have information about the labour market they are entering into, that they understand how the curriculum links to careers, and that they have the necessary support to help them work out an effective plan to enter employment after education. We are hopeful that we can encourage many Gloucestershire businesses to sign up to be an Enterprise Adviser or become part of the network. This network is helping to pair senior business volunteers with schools and colleges to galvanise engagement and develop effective careers and enterprise provisions, and – by making it easy for businesses, schools and colleges to work together – we are helping make sure all young people have multiple encounters with businesses that inspire and motivate them about their future careers before they leave education.”
 
“We were delighted to be involved with the Gloucestershire Skillsfest event – it is occasions like this that demonstrate the real commitment from those in education and in business to work together to improve the prospects of the future generation.”
 
Jason Dunsford, Manager of GFutures, said: “The Skillsfest Continuing Professional Development session was a great way to showcase some of the exciting stories and work being done to encourage young people to think about their career. We are working closely with the Careers and Enterprise Company to recruit volunteers to become Enterprise Advisors, so we can continue bridging the gap between education and business in the county.”
 
If you, or someone you know is interested in working closely with a local school or college on supporting the creation of careers strategies that will help inspire and motivate young people, please get in touch with Jason at GFutures directly on 01452 733501 or email jason.dunsford@gfutures.co.uk.