Apprentice Town

Vicar Lane and its independent businesses support local work experience programme

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield is once again proud to be working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education Services (DACES), to develop a work experience programme, this time with the support of the centre’s independent retailers.

The programme, put together by Shaun Brown, Centre Manager of Vicar Lane, will see five learners from Shirebrook and Clay Cross working in independent shops, as well as the Centre Management office, at Vicar Lane.

The aim of the programme is to bridge the gap between education and the real world of work, with the learners receiving meaningful interactions with employers.

Qoozies, Shop Indie, Nana B Baby & Childrenswear and Gorilla Garms are all getting involved in the programme.

The work experience programme is scheduled to start in May, with the learners working one day per week across ten weeks. The learners are currently studying a Customer Service qualification, and will be assessed whilst on their placements at the shopping centre.

Vicar Lane’s partnership with DACES began in 2019, and continues to grow, with Shaun Brown also planned to take part in the learners’ upcoming mock interviews, to help them overcome the nerves and build confidence.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “It is such a privilege to once again be working with a team of young people from the Chesterfield community. Previous initiatives produced some really positive results, and we’re really looking forward to having the learners as part of the Vicar Lane team over the next couple of months.

“A big thank you goes out to our wonderful indies, Qoozies, Shop Indie, Nana B Baby & Childrenswear and Gorilla Garms for supporting this programme.”

Find out more about Chesterfield’s diverse high street and retail scene over on our shopping page.

Vicar Lane supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Made in Chesterfield, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Full steam ahead for apprentices returning to the workplace

The past year has been challenging for apprentices, particularly those beginning their first training contract during the pandemic. But Chesterfield’s financial and legal businesses have adapted well to the ‘new normal’.

Liz Fisher, Associate Partner at Mitchells Chartered Accountants explains: “We were lucky at Mitchells in that our IT allowed us to work from home instantly without any additional set up required. We’ve had a skeleton staff within the office throughout the pandemic and the number of people in the office is gradually increasing.”

The financial and professional services sector is the largest business sector in Chesterfield; it has experienced a strong level of growth in the past five years, with the number of businesses increasing to more than 700. There are around 7,300 jobs in this sector locally including apprenticeships. More about this sector can be found on the My Future careers platform.

Working from home 

Working from home has its benefits and drawbacks. Many apprentices don’t mind working from home due to there being no commute, more flexibility, and less distractions.

Heather Ebbage, an apprentice Accounts Assistant at Innspired Accountancy explains: “The office was closed when I first started working for Innspired, this meant I was working from home. Being new to the industry, I found this difficult.”

“We returned back to the office in January with it being the busiest time of the year for accountants due to the Self-Assessment deadline. I feel that since being in the office, my development has increased tenfold, experiencing the office environment, listening to experienced colleagues dealing with clients queries and being able to discuss my queries with my managers face to face (socially distanced of course) have all meant that I am getting a better understanding of the industry and what my role will look like as I progress through my qualification.”

However, technology has made working from home much easier by enabling effective communication with colleagues and tutors. Abigail Denman, Level 3 Financial Services Administrator at Rosewood Wealth Management, says: “I have managed to stay in touch with my tutor through Google Meets and Zoom meetings. However, if I need to speak to my tutor in between the meetings I can always get in touch via email.”

Support from colleagues, employers, and providers 

Support from colleagues, employers and providers during the pandemic has meant apprentices could continue developing during their apprenticeships.

Jess Bradfield completed her Level 2 Business Administration apprenticeship at BRM Solicitors during the recent lockdown and has now taken the role of Paralegal in the company’s Wills and Probate team. She explains: “The training I received was different from how it is usually done, however I have still progressed as expected. My apprenticeship allowed me to develop numerous different skills, as well as a general knowledge about the legal sector. I felt more comfortable moving into my new role as a result of this.”

Lorna Finlay, Level 7 Accountancy and Taxation apprentice at Chesterfield College, found she has been able to develop her confidence whilst completing her apprenticeship during the pandemic. She says: “I like the fact that I am encouraged to develop my knowledge, skills and behaviours. The tracker I need to complete to pass my apprenticeship allows me to reflect on my personal development and identify areas for improvement. I believe this has boosted my confidence greatly.”

Returning to the office 

Whilst apprenticeships have been able to continue during the pandemic, many apprentices are looking forward to returning to the office and seeing colleagues in person.

Jenny Beagan, Senior Processing Customer Services Advocate was recently awarded Apprentice of the Year by provider Workpays. She says: “During the pandemic I have been lucky enough to be able to come into work as a lot of my role consists of writing out to customers or printing requests from customers. I have liked having the routine of coming to work, however we must follow strict guidelines in our day to day working.”

“I am looking forward to colleagues returning back to the office and getting back to the new normal way of working, it will be great to see colleagues again who we haven’t seen for over a year.”

Following on from what the apprentices said, it is likely that the hybrid working model will continue and be a mix between home and office working.

If you would like to start a career in this sector, check out the current apprenticeship vacancies in the local area.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Blog, Made in ChesterfieldTagged in , , ,

New report sets out the region’s skills strengths and actions to address the skills needs in the wake of Covid-19

A new report from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has highlighted the need for action to make sure everyone has the skills which will allow them to get good jobs, both now and in the future —and how it will also help the region address other issues from climate change to regional inequality.

With just over a year since the UK went into lockdown, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire, further exposing the persistent productivity gap and skills lag in the region and with employment losses more pronounced than many parts of the UK.

The rapidly increasing demand for new technological and digital skills – central to the region’s aspiration for low carbon and inclusive growth and essential to remote working and access to upskilling in our rural communities – were already having unsettling consequences for the local economy before the pandemic.

While the impact of Covid-19 has been uneven with the most significant impacts to service, manufacturing, hospitality and retail, there is clear evidence that recent progress across the region in increasing skills and employment levels may be slowed or reversed without the introduction of effective measures at both a national and local level.

The D2N2 LEP, in its capacity as organiser of the regions Skills Advisory Panel (SAP), has brought together employers, skills providers and key local stakeholders to better understand and resolve these skill mismatches at a local level and make recommendations for change.

The D2N2 Local Skills Report will be essential to the regions skills recovery to offset these challenges and ‘building back better’. It will require business leaders, educators, and national and regional governments to come together and collaborate to build more inclusive and sustainable economies and societies. The report is a catalyst for action to help those who have been made redundant or at risk of unemployment and support young people and businesses that have been disproportionately affected.

Government: Provide funding continuity; increase access to reskilling; increase SAPs’ role in skills provision and funding.
Post-16 Skills Providers: Coordinate with our priorities; build collaborative skills pathways; embed digital and low carbon skills in all learning pathways.
Schools: Provide senior support of Careers activity; promote higher technical skills pathways; embed careers inspiration and core digital skills in the curriculum.
Local Authorities: Support our strategy in your areas; continue collaborating with us and each other; facilitate relationships between local employers and schools.
Employers and BROs: Make skills core to recovery and growth planning; engage with the skills system to develop the future workforce; support your workers in retraining, reskilling and upskilling.

Professor Shearer West CBE, Chair of the D2N2 People and Skills Board, said: “This report showcases the work of D2N2 in People and Skills, by providing an overview of our strategy and an assessment of progress to date. As SAP Chair, I feel it is vital to ensure that our growing knowledge of trends and challenges affecting jobs and skills in D2N2 reaches the widest possible audience. This will help us drive necessary change both locally and nationally, as well as providing the leadership and focus for strategic responses with genuine impact. I would like to thank our colleagues at the University of Derby, who partnered with the D2N2 LEP on the development of this report, as well as all the partners in the D2N2 area who have contributed to it.”

Rachel Quinn, Head of People of Skills at D2N2 LEP, said: “This report’s aim is simple, to help improve the chances of our people in securing the jobs and careers to which they aspire, a crucial element in driving up their quality of life, and for our businesses to find the skills they need to grow and compete in an increasingly global economy. Our report set out the local strengths and skills needs and how the SAP proposes its area addresses its key priorities, identifies, and delivers on its priorities.

“The DfE’s recent White Paper set out a number of reforms aimed at putting employers more firmly at the heart of the skills system. As we develop our local response to the White Paper, our SAP and our Local Skills Report will be vital for coordinating the region’s skills response as our economy recovers.”

The full report can be accessed via d2n2lep.org/d2n2-lep-launches-local-skills-report

 

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in ChesterfieldTagged in , , , ,

Chesterfield’s GBS announces new partnership to deliver vital digital skills

Chesterfield’s GBS Apprenticeships has announced a new delivery partnership with Serco to deliver vital Digital and IT skills across Derbyshire.

Delivering on behalf of Serco on the Skills Support for the Workforce programme (SSW), GBS has an opportunity to provide training to those in work across pathways including Digital Marketing and IT.

These programmes will be delivered remotely, with the option of returning to face-to-face delivery when safe to do so. The programmes will be typically delivered over 8 weeks and will provide a great foundation to progress on to higher levels of training.

GBS Director, John Cusworth commented, “The partnership provides GBS with a fantastic opportunity to support the local skills agenda and enrich lives with new digital and IT skills in the Derbyshire area.”

At the end of the programme, individuals who successfully complete the course will receive accredited certification with either NCFE or BCS, both of which can lead to further progression such as higher level apprenticeships in Digital Marketing or IT.

John Cusworth further added, “We are really pleased to have been selected to work in partnership with Serco to deliver the SSW programme. Being able to offer short course provision in a sector in which we specialise can really benefit our network of employers, and at the same time complement our existing offering of apprenticeships and more recently Digital Bootcamps.”

If your business could benefit from fully-funded training in Digital Marketing and IT, contact GBS directly on 01246 925 923 or info@gbs-ltd.co.uk

The SSW programme is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), so the training can be accessed at no cost to your business.

GBS supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through  Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

John Cusworth, GBS Apprenticeships

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Virtual workplace tours launched to north eastern Derbyshire’s students during National Careers Week

National Careers Week 2021 (1 – March) sees the launch of three virtual workplace tours to students across north eastern Derbyshire.

Produced as part of the Made in Chesterfield campaign, the films feature three local businesses operating in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) sector – MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar (UCB) and Woodhead Construction.

The films, which are available to view on YouTube, feature virtual tours of the UCB foundry, MSE Hiller’s workshop and laboratory and Chesterfield Borough Council’s new Enterprise Centre which is currently being built by Woodhead Construction.

Each of the inspiring films feature details of the job roles available at each business, what they involve and qualifications and skills needed.

Produced by Chesterfield-based Defeye Creative, the films are designed to bridge the gap between education providers and businesses during the pandemic and answer the questions that young people are unable to ask while school trips are not allowed.

Despite the recent announcement that students across the country will be returning to the classroom on Monday 8 March, social distancing restrictions will remain in place until at least 21 June this year, preventing students undertaking vital workplace visits and work experience.

Sponsored by Chesterfield College, the annual Made in Chesterfield campaign is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Derbyshire Education Business Partnership, supported by Chesterfield Borough Council and North Derbyshire Careers Hub.

The campaign was originally launched in 2015 in response to companies in the sector reporting long term recruitment difficulties. Over the last six years, Made in Chesterfield has helped introduce thousands of young people in North East Derbyshire to careers in the STEM sector.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, commented: “I am delighted that we are able to take STEM experiences into the classroom and home. Although we are in the middle of a pandemic it is important that we continue to ensure that young people have access to education, training, jobs and work placements in Chesterfield’s STEM sector.

“With HS2 on the horizon, there is the opportunity for the region to become recognised as an international centre of rail research and innovation, but only if we have the skilled workforce to meet investor demand.

“Although virtual for now, I am confident that these videos will be successful in bringing together education providers and businesses to ensure local young talent is aware of the myriad of STEM jobs and careers available here.”

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s Deputy Leader, said: “Workplace visits are essential for young people making important decisions about their future. It provides them with valuable insight into what the workplace is like and also gives them the opportunity to ask employers important questions about the skills they need to develop. I’m delighted that local employers have taken part in this because it is vital to ensuring we build a thriving borough and create excellent opportunities for young people.

“These videos will help support the careers information on offer through the My Future platform, making sure that young people can get excellent advice and information about the opportunities available to them. I hope lots of young people will watch these videos and use the information provided to plan their future.”

Daniel Heffernan, Senior Careers Hub Lead, D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said:  “In these challenging times it’s more important than ever to ensure our young people are given the opportunity to explore and understand the career opportunities open to them. These tours bring a little slice of industry into the classroom, which will help to drive up aspiration and subsequently attainment.

“They will play a key role in supporting localised skills development and support us in our ambitions to create a steady pipeline of talent, that our businesses will need to bounce back and thrive, as we enter the recovery stages of the pandemic.

“I look forward to sharing these resources with our network of 32 schools and colleges across North Derbyshire, and our wider network of 140 schools across D2N2 as we all work together to ensure that our young people are able to step over any economic cracks created by COVID-19, and that they are given as much support as possible to go on to lead successful lives after education.”

Charlotte Land, STEM Ambassador Hub Manager at DEBP added: “The Made in Chesterfield Programme is a fantastic opportunity for young people and teachers to gain an insight into the amazing places people work in Chesterfield.  DEBP work with employers to develop their programme offer and introduce them to local schools. The programme is an essential part of our work as a STEM Ambassador Hub to bridge the STEM skills gap by introducing young people to positive role models and work environments and through challenging stereotypical perceptions of engineering and manufacturing.”

Schools throughout north eastern Derbyshire are now being encouraged to share the films with students and give them a virtual taste of career opportunities in the STEM sector.

All the virtual tours, as well as informative videos on each organisation, can be viewed here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/tours-for-schools/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield

Staveley’s £25m regeneration plans to be put under the spotlight at Celebrate Chesterfield 2021

Forging ahead with regeneration plans in lockdown, the latest developments for the Staveley area will be unveiled at the tenth annual Celebrate Chesterfield event on Wednesday 31 March.

The ambitious £25 million plans for the Staveley area were submitted to the Government as part of its Town Deal programme back in December.

Chair of Staveley Town Deal Board Ivan Fomin, who is also the Managing Director at MSE Hiller and a Destination Chesterfield board member, will be speaking at the virtual event at which he will call on the business community to help drive forward the area’s regeneration and take advantage of the opportunities it will create.

He commented: “Staveley is blessed with great assets including land for development, heritage buildings and transport links, but these all need investment and local leadership to drive forward the growth and prosperity of the area. At a time when Covid-19 has re-energised the discussion about the use of outdoor spaces, we also have a unique opportunity to link Chesterfield and Staveley to the national canal network for the first time in 113 years.”

Huw Bowen, Chief Executive of the Chesterfield Borough Council, will also be speaking at the event, which will be live streamed and boast a 3D virtual exhibition.

Mr Bowen will be updating on the progress the town is making with multi-million pound commercial and residential developments, including Chesterfield Waterside and the new seven-storey office block – One Waterside Place.

Ivan Fomin and Huw Bowen will also be joined by Andy Dabbs (Chair) and Jillian Mitchell (Vice Chair) of the newly formed Property and Construction Group, who will also be speaking at the event.

Now in its tenth year, Celebrate Chesterfield, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield, in association with Addooco IT, is one of the most hotly anticipated business events in the area and never more so that in the wake of the pandemic.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield said: “Whilst it has been a challenging year for us all, we’re delighted with the progress Chesterfield has made during the Covid-19 pandemic – there are a lot of achievements to celebrate which we will be sharing at the event. We have not stood still a through 2020 and because of this we go into 2021 in excellent shape.

“The Northern Gateway and Chesterfield Waterside developments have made some significant steps and continue to move forward at pace. This, along with the regeneration plans for the Staveley area, it’s safe to say this is an exciting time for Chesterfield.”

Celebrate Chesterfield 2021 is being sponsored by technology specialist Addooco IT Ltd. University of Derby, Whittam Cox Architects and Markham Vale – Derbyshire’s flagship regeneration scheme, join headline sponsor Addooco IT as associate sponsors.

Richard Walters, Managing Director of Addooco IT Ltd, commented: “The concept of ‘Celebrating Chesterfield’ really resonates with me as there is such a rich history of innovation here. Recognising the great work Destination Chesterfield does for organisations in the area, I am delighted that Addooco is the headline sponsor for Celebrate Chesterfield.”

Dr Paula Holt MBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Derby said: “We are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support the Celebrate Chesterfield event again this year. As Derbyshire’s only university, we look to use our academic expertise, research and innovation to foster talent and create impactful partnerships with business.

“The Celebrate Chesterfield event provides a great opportunity for us to have valuable conversations that enable us to understand more about the challenges local businesses face. Our priority remains to effectively service the needs of businesses – creating opportunities for individuals, employers and communities to develop and deliver positive impact on the economic prosperity, health and well-being of the region.”

Andy Dabbs, Board Director at Whittam Cox Architects, comments: “As a local practice we are delighted to be working with Destination Chesterfield to support this year’s Celebrate Chesterfield event. This year is particularly exciting for us, as it will see the launch of Chesterfield’s Property and Construction Forum. The formation of the forum has already had some success in bringing together a network of local property professionals whilst also providing a collaborative platform for engagement with the Local Authority. Although it has been a challenging year, Chesterfield has made some fantastic progress, and the Celebrate Chesterfield event will provide a great opportunity to share this.”

Anthony Clitheroe, Director at HBD, development partner for the Markham Vale site commented: “Our ongoing commitment to the regeneration of Markham Vale has seen momentous change of this area over the years, increasing job opportunities for local workers and ensuring a continued boost to Chesterfield’s economy.

“Alongside Derbyshire County Council, we’re looking forward to continuing the success of 2020 and securing new occupiers at Markham Vale.”

Tickets for the free morning event, which is being held from 8:30am – 10:00am, are available to book now.

To book your place at the event, please visit http://www.chesterfield.co.uk/celebrate/.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , ,

MyFuture careers platform shortlisted for prestigious industry award

An innovative online careers and employability platform, which was launched to Year 11 and 13 school leavers in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire last year, has been shortlisted in the Careers Development Institute (CDI) Awards 2021.

Since its launch, on GCSE results day, the MyFuture platform has helped hundreds of young people gain access to high-quality careers advice, employment support, and skills and educational programmes during the pandemic.

The online platform has been shortlisted in the Innovative and Impactful Employer Engagement category in the annual industry awards which identify and promote excellence in career development. The category is sponsored by the Department for Education (DfE) and CXK, a careers advice charity.

Developed by Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and the D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub, MyFuture plugs the careers information gap left by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The innovative platform, which is believed to be a world first, was designed by Chesterfield-based Oasis Studio. It features around 100 virtual exhibition pods across 10 zones, providing advice on careers, transition, and employment in 16 sectors.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that our My Future project has been recognised in this way. Our team have spearheaded this project as part of our Economic Recovery plans, working closely with our partners to help ensure the My Future online platform provides valuable information on careers and skills development for young people in Chesterfield. We will continue to support and develop this platform and I want to encourage young people to log in because it will help them plan their future in our borough.”

Dom Stevens Destination Chesterfield Manager added: “Everyone worked tremendously hard in a very short timeframe to get MyFuture up and running and it has been incredibly well received by all users. To be recognised by the Careers Development Institute is testimony to the strong partnerships that exist in Chesterfield that together make positive changes happen for everyone who lives, works and does business here.”

D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub Lead Dan Heffernan said: “Connecting young people to their future careers becomes an even higher priority during economic crisis as younger workers are at much higher risk of becoming casualties of recession. We are therefore delighted that this project has been recognised by the CDI for the value that it brings to young people across North Derbyshire. It is our hope that any publicity generated by this recognition will encourage further collaborative efforts not just in D2N2 but nationally. Only by working together are we going to weather the economic storm generated by the Covid-19 Pandemic.”

MyFuture is shortlisted alongside Creative Careers Programme and Discover! Creative Careers Week, Creative and Cultural Skills and Whole School Career Day 5th March 2020, Huntcliff School, Gainsborough. The winner of the category will be announced next month on Wednesday 10 March.

MyFuture is one of two North Derbyshire projects to be shortlisted in this year’s Careers Development Institute Awards. Derbyshire Education Business Partnership (DEBP) has also been shortlisted for the Best Practice Award – Careers Programme in a Special School or College category for its Project SEARCH.

To view MyFuture please visit www.myfuture.org.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , ,

Celebrating Chesterfield’s STEM ambassadors

Educators, businesses and local authorities across Chesterfield have been working together in recent years, as part of efforts to encourage more students to consider further study of STEM subjects and progression into related careers, inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals.

To help with enthusing and engaging our young people, STEM Ambassadors volunteer their time and expertise to promote STEM to young people in original, creative and practical ways. They also work to support the STEM curriculum in schools, raising awareness of careers and supporting activities in the community. Ambassadors cross all ages and backgrounds, representing a vast spectrum of different employers.

Chesterfield businesses can get involved in supporting STEM careers in a number of ways:

  • Sign up as a STEM Ambassador at https://www.stem.org.uk/
  • offering tours of your workplace for students and teachers
  • delivering talks to groups of learners in schools about your organisation and job opportunities
  • mentoring students doing projects
  • networking with students and teachers
  • setting a project related to your sector
  • doing mock interviews
  • filming a video of you at your workplace
  • and much more!

What are the benefits of being a STEM Ambassador?

  • Engage and develop your employees
  • raise your profile within the local community, whilst also expanding your regional and national media presence
  • promote your apprentice roles directly to local schools and colleges
  • support your recruitment efforts, boosting your future technical and graduate pipeline
  • offer specific and sector careers information to young people and their influencers

Meet the Ambassadors

Here are a few examples of how STEM ambassadors are helping to drive forward the future workforce here in Chesterfield:

Name – Lindsay Rowe

Company – AECOM

Position in company – Senior Mechanical Engineer

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

To me, being a STEM ambassador is an opportunity to raise awareness of alternative careers, share my knowledge about the world of work and show young people that there really is something out there for everyone and there is more than one way to achieve your goal.

What it means for your business.

STEM ambassadors not only raise awareness of our industry in general, but they show students that they don’t have to move to London and the big cities to follow an exciting and rewarding career in engineering. Our company name and brand becomes more widely known and we get recognised as a company that students want to apply to when starting on the career ladder. Ultimately this makes it much easier for us to hire the people we need to continue growing our business.

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

I’m always happy and proud when I see children being inspired to think differently about the type of work they might like to do in the future. My proudest moment though was when I finally got to attend a careers event at my son’s school, he was the reason I started volunteering in the first place.

Name – Ann Fomukong-Boden

Company – Kakou CIC

Position in company – Co-Founder/Director/Principal Electronic Engineer

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

Being a STEM Ambassador is my opportunity to give back to my community and also encourage people to see how creative the STEM subjects are. I got into engineering through my love of music. The STEM subjects play a huge part in every aspect of our lives – even the fun things! I also like to challenge people’s stereotype of what an engineer is or looks like. Most people I meet rarely guess my profession from my appearance.

What it means for your business.

We have a community engagement programme called Social Fuse. We produce and facilitate creative-arts based STEM activities for our community. Social Fuse provides us with the opportunities to meet new people, build networks and collaborate on diverse, interesting projects that we may not have been aware of through our normal engineering activities. It brings variety to the business and we get to interact with young people, teachers, parents and organisations that we may have not otherwise encountered.

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

To be honest, I feel a sense of pride whenever I volunteer, especially when you see someone who is new to an activity suddenly have that moment where it all starts to make sense and they realise that they understand something that they previously thought was difficult.

A stand-out moment was being chosen by the British Science Association to be one of their inaugural Community Leaders in recognition of my time volunteering within the community. As part of that I went to the Houses of Parliament to give expert testimony at the APPG on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM. That day I also discovered that the Houses of Parliament use some equipment that I had designed – which brought a smile to my face.

 

Name – Julie Eley

Company – Ready4Work/School of Thought

Position in company – Co-Founder

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

It is a privilege to engage with young people, not only to give them information about different careers but also to offer hope especially in uncertain times.

What it means for your business.

We have set up a project called School of Thought so we can promote the Automotive Industry to young People. If it wasn’t for STEM we wouldn’t be able to do this, so this helps us tell everyone about the great Industry we work in, dispel myths and to build the pipeline for the next generation of Employees

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

Letting Young People know that there are different routes and that University isn’t the only choice. Personally, seeing some students tell me about their project of building a go kart, and seeing how excited and knowledgeable they were, I found it really inspiring

Name – Emma Knight-Strong

Company – Green Arch Consulting

Position in company – Owner

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

I am proud to be a STEM ambassador. I am passionate about my field and want to ensure that young learners understand what skills they need to have in order to follow their own dreams. I personally believe that a STEM ambassador is a person who can use their enthusiasm for their chosen profession to inspire young people to think about the huge range of possibilities available to them if they continue in STEM subjects. It’s less ‘teaching them a specific job type’ and more about showing them how STEM can help them be resilient and adaptive to a constantly shifting job market.

What it means for your business.

 It allows more people to understand the type of business that I am in and introduces learners to a sector that is still relatively new

 The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

Having a teacher say to me that the three young girls who had been asking lots of questions usually never said a word in class and he was amazed at how engaged they were with the activity.

Name – Tom Mowbray

Company – Rolls-Royce

Position in company – Sub-System Design Engineer

What it means to be a STEM ambassador.

I find being a STEM Ambassador is a great excuse to share my excitement for Engineering with inquisitive minds. When I host STEM activities with kids it really is a two way exchange, whereby I’m sharing some insights about Engineering whilst setting challenges, and in return I get to see how young minds tackle the problem set. There’s some beautiful creativity that is quite inspiring.

What it means for your business.

“Our activities are designed to demonstrate the life-long opportunities that STEM careers can offer, helping to secure a future talent pipeline for ourselves and the wider industry. We hope that our education outreach programmes will inspire people to study the STEM subjects and show them the life-long opportunities that STEM careers can offer.”

https://www.rolls-royce.com/sustainability/performance/target-progress.aspx?reach-6-million-through-our-stem#reach-6-million-through-our-stem

The proudest moment you have had from volunteering your time

I have participated in a variety of activities with children aged 7-18; covering topics such as friction, power and motion in primary ages through to GCSE maths tutoring, careers days and A-level mentoring. The range of options to get involved and the overwhelmingly positive feedback makes me proud to be involved.

For more information about the STEM Ambassadors scheme, you can contact the Derbyshrie Education Business Partnership (DEBP) on 01246 212535 or visit their website: https://www.debp.org/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Made in Chesterfield, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Conference hears how digital upskilling and a human-first approach is key to developing resilient post pandemic future workforce

With demand for digital skills increasing by 36% in the last 12 months, digital upskilling in schools, colleges and businesses will be key to Chesterfield thriving post pandemic. That was the message from leaders at this year’s Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference.

At the virtual, live-streamed conference, it was revealed that the pandemic has brought digital skills to the forefront of work and education and opened up a number of exciting new employment opportunities in the low carbon economy.

Leaders speaking at the fifth annual conference stressed that collaboration between education providers and businesses is key to young people taking advantage of these opportunities post 16 and thriving in the workforce post pandemic.

Speaking at the conference Rachel Quinn, Head of People and Skills at D2N2 LEP said: “Covid has given us the impetus to push forward to use and develop technology to connect people and work better. However, we have to make sure that everyone can participate and make sure the connectivity exists and that everyone has the digital access and skills they need to succeed and thrive. Getting that connectivity right, for the economy and through into our education system is absolutely essential.”

Chesterfield College reported growth in the demand for digital skills in the area and has invested in a digital skills centre. James Lund, Interim Director of Sales at The Chesterfield College Group said: “Apprentice recruitment is starting to return to pre-Covid levels, and we anticipate digital skills being a growth area over the next two to three years. Similarly, we have also seen a growth in demand for apprenticeships in health and social care and construction.”

To ensure young people maximise the opportunities, headline speaker, author and former headteacher, Richard Gerver urged the conference to “look to our inner child in order to succeed and thrive in a post pandemic workforce.”

He said: “By changing our mindset and encouraging people to meet change and uncertainty with curiosity, awe, wonder and questioning rather than fear, young people will see the opportunities rather than obstacles.”

He warned of the long-term impact of change and uncertainty on the self-esteem of young people and urged people to remember the importance of softer skills alongside technical skills.

Mr Gerver added: “Covid has been the most horrific experience in most people’s lived experience but it won’t be the first or last time we have to cope with profound levels of change in our personal lives. All too often our reflex when dealing with a problem is to go direct to the technical or strategic solution, but we need to understand the human first and
that has never been more true than it is now, particularly when thinking about our future workforce.

“Dialogue between educators and businesses is more important than ever to support young people with career development. Real partnership is the key to success.”

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of Destination Chesterfield reassured the conference that the council is committed to partnership working in order to ensure the future workforce have the post pandemic skills required by local employers.
She explained: “We’re not standing still in Chesterfield. We and our partners recognise that with change comes innovation and with challenge comes resilience. Building resilience and raising the aspirations of future generations is a priority for Chesterfield.

“Our aim is to continue to strengthen links between education providers and local businesses to ensure that our school and college leavers have the skills to access career opportunities available in the borough.”

The annual, free Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference is organised by Chesterfield Borough Council, D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub, and Destination Chesterfield, and is open to businesses, schools and education providers from across North Derbyshire.

Chesterfield businesses that wish to work with the Careers Hub, provide work experience or workplace visit opportunities, recruit apprentices or upskill existing employees, are encouraged to get in touch with Emily Williams, Skills Delivery Officer at Chesterfield Borough Council by emailing Emily.Williams@Chesterfield.gov.uk or calling 01246 959717.

 

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Derbyshire Education Business Partnership shortlisted for national award

Derbyshire Education Business Partnership (DEBP) been shortlisted for the Best Practice Award – Careers Programme in a Special School or College category in the UK Career Development Awards. The Awards from the Career Development Institute raise awareness and celebrate the tremendous success of those in the career development profession.

The submission was for Project SEARCH, a unique one year supported training and employment internship opportunity. It helps young people – from across Derbyshire with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and autism spectrum conditions – make successful transitions from school to productive adult life and gain the skills they need to achieve meaningful paid jobs.

Before interns start the programme they take part in lots of preparation work to identify their strengths, aspirations and the occupations they are interested in. They have the opportunity to gain new skills, as well as practical work-based experience through a structured personalised careers programme. They are supported throughout by an employer mentor, tutor and job coach.

Clare Talati, Managing Director said, “It is great for us to be shortlisted for this award and help raise awareness of this unique programme and the benefits of creating inclusive work environments. We would like to thank all the partners involved for their dedication and commitment.”

Disabled young adults are significantly underrepresented in the nation’s workforce and are far less likely to secure employment than the general population. Only 3.5 per cent of young adults with a learning disability known to their local authority in Derby are in paid work (around 6% nationally). There are 69 Project SEARCH schemes internationally and 60 per cent of the young adults involved have secured employment.

Sarah Cutler, Project SEARCH Job Coach said: “We want to ensure that all learners, irrespective of their needs, achieve. This programme challenges stereotypes and perceptions and allows employers to see what the young people can contribute and offer. And it allows the young people to realise their potential to contribute to the workplace and be exceptional employees.”

DEBP supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

 

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Opportunities highlighted by Chesterfield College on National Apprenticeship Week

During National Apprenticeship Week (8-14 February), Learning Unlimited, the apprenticeship team at Chesterfield College, are highlighting the fact there are hundreds of apprenticeship opportunities available for anyone starting or developing a career in Derbyshire.

With over 97% of the employers they work with continuing to recruit apprentices, they say now is a great time to explore what apprenticeships can offer. They are holding a series of apprenticeship virtual advice evenings and workshops to help people find out more.

Learning Unlimited has helped hundreds of apprentices to start or develop their careers during the pandemic. They work with employers from various industry sectors who continue to develop their workforce and create exciting opportunities in areas such as engineering, construction, health and care, and business support.

With many headlines about the lack of employment opportunities for young people and redundancies across different industries hit hardest by the pandemic, Leah Shortt, Operations Manager at Learning Unlimited was keen to offer some hope to anyone affected.

She said:“Apprenticeships have always offered a way for people to build their future and I am pleased to say that with lots of new apprenticeship opportunities being created across Derbyshire, they are continuing to do so. Many of the employers we work with are delivering essential services and still need to build their workforce.

“Apprenticeships help them to do that at the same time as  giving young people, and those looking to retrain, an opportunity to get the start they need to develop their careers.

“A common myth is that apprenticeships are just for those starting out in the world of work. That isn’t the case. They offer the chance to get qualifications that may be equivalent to university level study, so they can be a perfect way for people to climb the career ladder and get noticed by their employers.

“Our series of advice evenings and application workshops will offer practical advice and support to help people make the most of opportunities that are available now and in the future. The team are looking forward to continuing to help people start their apprenticeship journey and build their career.”

The first virtual advice evening takes place on 11 February 5.30 – 6.30pm. To find out more and register for this event or others in the series visit www.learningunlimiteduk.com/events/.

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