Careers and Enterprise match grows local engineers

The Careers and Enterprise Company programme provides an opportunity for students to engage with employers directly, find out what jobs are out there and what skills they need to get them.  

Across the SEMLEP area, our Enterprise Coordinator team have linked 78 schools and colleges with 62 local businesses in a diverse range of sectors. At the latest match meeting, SEMLEP’s Deborah Foster partnered vehicle manufacturer Vauxhall Motors with Luton-based Cardinal Newham Catholic School.

This partnership will closely link teachers, careers advisers and students at the school with Vauxhall Motors to develop and implement plans to increase employer engagement with the young people, to inform and inspire together with developing relevant skills and attributes ready for work. 

Paul Thompson Employer and Skills Manager, said: “We have a clear message from businesses. We need to work more closely in schools, colleges and universities to ensure young people are geared-up, ready to hit the ground running when they enter the world of work. Through this programme we can facilitate employers and schools working together to ensure young people, teachers, parents and carers are aware of the opportunities within the local labour market and that they are fully informed of what employers are looking for. 

Paul Hegarty, Head of Business Studies at the school said: “We recognised that there was a huge gap between industry and education. We have to prepare our students but education and employment is changing.

“Our young people can often get a negative vibe about the economy. We need to build career positivity about the prospects they have in Luton.  There is a future for them but we need to make sure schools and local employers are on the same page.”

Lizzie Moffatt, Vauxhall Motor’s Plant Development Adviser, and Enterprise Adviser for the programme said: We have a huge skills issue and struggle to find and recruit high-quality people, particularly engineers. Through the Careers and Enterprise Company programme, we want to break down the perception that working in manufacturing is low-skilled and encourage young people to develop successful careers in manufacturing and engineering.

For a full list of companies and schools involved across the South East Midlands area, take a look at SEMLEP's Careers and Enterprise webpage. For more information, contact the team on 01234 436100.