New Anglia Careers Hub expands to help support COVID-19 recovery

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All secondary schools and colleges in Norfolk and Suffolk will have the opportunity to join a Careers Hub in a move aimed at transforming careers education and supporting skills for the Covid-19 recovery.

New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership delivers the Careers Hub for the region and the expansion means it will increase from 32 secondary schools and colleges in Ipswich and Norwich and along the A140 corridor to 130 across both counties.

The announcement was made on Tuesday 23 June by the Department for Education and The Careers & Enterprise Company.

More than 2,200 schools in communities across country will now be in a Careers Hub – nearly half of all state sector schools and colleges. In 12 LEP areas, all schools and colleges will be covered by a Careers Hub.

Careers Hubs, launched by the Government in 2018, have been at the forefront of efforts to respond to the initial period of lockdown, continuing to offer young people support with their career decision-making. They were key partners in the recent national on-line virtual work experience week with CEC, Oak National Academy and Learn Live, where more than 100,000 young people gained insights to a range of sectors through digital platforms.

The proven Careers hub model will now play a critical role in supporting local skills development and Local Enterprise Partnerships’ and Mayoral local economic recovery plans.

Chris Starkie, chief executive of New Anglia LEP, said: “This expansion forms part of the coordinated efforts of the LEP and local authorities to support schools and colleges, which enables and improves careers provision across Norfolk and Suffolk.

“As we restart and rebuild the economy in the wake of Covid-19, it is essential we ensure young people have the skills the region needs in the future and can be connected with the opportunities that are available.”

The impact of Careers Hubs on the careers support young people receive has been profound since the first hubs started in September 2018, covering 710 schools. That number grew to 1,300 schools in 2019.

Schools and colleges have access to support and funding, including an expert ‘Hub Lead’ to help coordinate activity and build networks, a central fund to support employer engagement activities, and training for a ‘Careers Leader’ in each school and college.

Working through a partnership approach with schools, colleges, employers, local enterprise partnerships and other local organisations, Careers Hubs have accelerated levels of support and improvement in young people’s career development.

Driven nationally by the Careers & Enterprise Company, Hubs deliver locally, informed by local skills needs and tailored to respond to developments in local job markets.

Evidence published by CEC in October last year showed Career Hubs accelerating overall careers education progress and performance by 56 per cent in 12 months. Key findings were:

95% higher standard of performance in schools linked to Hubs over schools that are outside the careers network established by CEC.
Two third of schools and colleges in Hubs run regular encounters with employers, compared with just over a third (36%) in schools and colleges outside the network
Nearly three in five schools and colleges in Hubs run work experience compared to around a third (35%) outside the network
Nearly two thirds of schools and colleges in Hubs are learning about careers direct from the jobs market compared with only 3 in 10 schools outside the network.

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Gillian Keegan said: “We want young people across the country to receive the best careers advice so they can get a head start in the world of work and go on to have successful careers.

“The expansion of our Careers Hubs will mean we are now supporting more than 2,200 schools and colleges, bringing them together with employers to provide high quality careers guidance.

“Now, more than ever, it’s vital young people make the most of their talents and are aware of the range of opportunities available. This is brilliant news and I look forward to hearing about the progress made.”

John Yarham, Interim CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Careers Hubs drive accelerated performance in careers education and have proven particularly robust and resilient during the Covid-19 crisis, continuing to support young people in local communities.

“Careers Hubs bring people together. They create a powerful partnership between schools, colleges, employers and local agencies focused on improving skills and opportunity for young people, tailored to local need – nationally led, locally developed and delivered.

“This partnership is a critical point of difference from the past and means we are better positioned to weather the storm and help our next generation navigate the choppy waters ahead.

“Schools, colleges and young people have a real time connection to the changing jobs market – opening opportunity in areas that are emerging the strongest and growing the fastest. What this means is we have the opportunity to more closely match real people to real jobs in real time. It is a proven robust and sustainable model for the needs of now and into the future.”

For examples of how the Enterprise Adviser Network and Careers Hub has supported schools to inspire young people and prepare them for the future of work click here

If you have any questions or are keen to get involved in supporting young people in your area, please get in touch by contacting New Anglia Careers Hub Manager, Glen Todd at glen.todd@newanglia.co.uk or calling 07384 113189 .

You can also find out more about Careers Hubs on the The Careers & Enterprise Company’s website.

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