Chesterfield careers

Project provides career inspiration for Chesterfield young people

A new project has provided career insights and work experience for young people in Chesterfield.

The Careers Made in Chesterfield (CMiC) programme has had a successful first year, hosting eight workshops for 275 young people and providing work experience placements for almost 30 students.

It provides students with insights about local career opportunities and aims to create a pipeline of talent to support local businesses. In its first year, the programme has focussed on the property and construction sector but will expand to include the health and wellbeing sector and manufacturing sector over the next three years.

Industry experts have hosted interactive workshops at Ashgate Croft School, Parkside School, Springwell Community College, Netherthorpe School and the Chesterfield YES Youth Hub. As a result of these workshops, students have reported an increased interest in pursuing careers in the construction industry.

The project has been funded by Chesterfield Borough Council as part of its Skills Action Plan and delivered in schools by Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP).

On Tuesday 2 June Gateway 1 students from Ashgate Croft School were visited by G F Tomlinson where they played ‘guess my job’ with three volunteers – Gemma Thorpe, Senior Bid and Marketing Coordinator; Dave Miller, Site Manager; and Olivia Brindley, Assistant Quantity Surveyor – to learn about the varied roles within the construction sector.

In preparation for a site visit, students were also shown the refurbishment plans for Stephenson Memorial Hall, home to Chesterfield Museum and the Pomegranate Theatre, which is currently being refurbished by G F Tomlinson on behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council.

The students then took on the challenge to come up with their own designs for a cafe, shop, or entire museum using K’Nex construction kits.

Stuart Rooker, Careers Lead at DEBP said: “Collaboration between businesses and schools is crucial to CMiC. It is a fantastic way for employers to engage directly with students and inform them about their business and industry. It also provides the young people involved with the opportunity to learn about the skills they need, which employers value, and the options available to them.”

On Thursday 18 June, the students were given a tour of the construction site. After a health and safety talk from Jack Harvey, Technical Apprentice and putting on the appropriate PPE, Jason Tromans, Site Manager for G F Tomlinson, led a fantastic tour of the building. This included how key parts of the building are being restored and the interesting things that have been found on-site such as old newspapers and messages on the walls. Students were able to see a variety of construction trades at work, including roofers, joiners, ground workers, and scaffolders.

Vicky Bridge, Gateway 1 Teacher from Ashgate Croft School said: “The students thought both the workshop and visit were really interesting. It was a great experience for them to learn all about the company and the trade, and then see it in person and in action. This fits well with our employability lesson where we look at different jobs and types of employment.”

In total 14 employers have supported the CMiC programme including, Stepnell, Fortem, Devonshire Group, Henry Boot, Elliot Mather LLP, Whittam Cox Architects, Turner and Townsend, Castle Owen, Clee Hill, Shelby Group, Frank Shaw Associates and Chesterfield College.

CMiC is a key part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Skills Action Plan which aims to ensure that local people have the right skills to support career progression and benefit from future employment opportunities.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “CMiC has made a great impact in its first year, it’s helped provide young people with the information they need to make informed decisions about their future and by working with employers we can ensure that skills provision in the borough meets their future needs. I look forward to seeing how this programme progresses in future years and hearing from young people about how it has helped them.

If you’re a local business, I would encourage you to get involved in the scheme because it will help guide young people to work in industry and even your business.”

As well as construction and property, the programme will expand over the next four years to include health and social care, and engineering and manufacturing and businesses in these sectors are encouraged to get in touch to volunteer for the scheme.

If you are an employer and would like to get involved in CMiC please email enquiries@debp.org.

Looking for support to improve skills and recruitment in your business? Head over to our business support page to find out more.

DEBP and Chesterfield Borough Council support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Students wearing high viz clothing

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Young people and parents encouraged to find out more about careers in healthcare

Young people and their parents or carers are being invited a session where they can learn more about careers in the health and social care sector.

The second Apprenticeship and Technical Education Information Event will include a question-and-answer panel session and the chance to speak with representatives from Chesterfield Royal Hospital and NHS Joined Up Care Careers about the range of roles in the sector and the different ways to access these careers, including through apprenticeships.

The free event is organised by Chesterfield Borough Council, the D2N2 Careers Hub and Workpays. It is designed to allow parents, carers, and young people to speak to experts in the sector about the training and career options available to young people after completing school.

Young apprentice ambassadors will also be attending to share their experiences and explain why they chose to pursue an apprenticeship.

The event will be held in the Heartspace area in Chesterfield College on Thursday 15 February from 6pm to 7.30pm. Free refreshments and hot food will be available to attendees.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “Our first event in Staveley was a great success with more than 50 people coming to find out more about career pathways in the construction industry. These events are a great way of learning about the range of careers available and seek to help young people, parents and carers to understand more about how apprenticeships work.

“This next event will focus on the valuable roles available in the health and care sector, and we’re welcoming experts from the sector, as well as those who have been through an apprenticeship, to speak directly about their experiences after leaving school – providing the information, advice and support that young people need to make an informed decision about their future.

“If you are interested in attending this event please book on as soon as possible as spaces are limited.”

Laura Wilkins, Operational Careers Hub Lead at D2N2, said: ““Building on the Construction event held in November at Staveley Miners Welfare FC, we are now looking forward to showcasing another priority sector for Chesterfield – Health and Social Care. We are excited to welcome parents, carers, young people and other members of the community to Chesterfield College to understand the routes into this sector. This will be a great opportunity to hear from people working within Health and Social Care, including young people on an apprenticeship pathway.”

Tina Patel, from the ASK programme/Workpays, said: after the successful event in November, this event will also provide information and guidance on how to look for the opportunities available in Health and Social Care. We have an ASK ambassador who can help to search for local vacancies and application support. I am looking forward to meeting you all at the event and to support parents and young people to look at all the opportunities available and to answer any questions.”

A third Apprenticeship and Technical Education Information Event is scheduled to be held in Spring 2024 and will focus on careers in the manufacturing sector.

To book a free place for the health and social care session please visit the Eventbrite listing.

Chesterfield Borough Council, Chesterfield College, Workpays, D2N2 Careers Hub and Chesterfield Royal Hospital support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

White student nurse practicing using a stethoscope on a dummy in hospital bed

University of Derby, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield

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Workpays outlines steps to become a leading training provider in sustainability

Chesterfield training provider, Workpays has outlined the steps it has taken to be a leading training provider for sustainability.

The company has achieved Bronze Level accreditation as a Carbon Literate Organisation with its Managing Director and Director of Excellence, who have led the drive, receiving CLO accreditation. Throughout 2024, the company will roll this out to all staff through its internal Workpays Academy.

Managing Director, Alex Glasner commented: “We want to train a generation of people into careers focussed on sustainability. Therefore, we’re delighted to become the nation’s first training provider not only to offer several specialised green-focused courses, but also to embed green skills into each one of our courses. All Workpays’ courses consist of units such as Environmental Awareness, Domestic Energy Efficiency, and Sustainability.”

The organisation has made sector-specific modules to ensure learners can better understand the importance of sustainability within their area of study and interest, ranging from vocational awards and certificates to green-themed sessions for English, ESOL, and Digital Skills, giving a better understanding of how the sector can be improved and where changing legislation may affect learners’ future careers.

All of Workpays’ courses include a wide range of fusion skills (12 skills identified to be fundamental to the future world of work from research and studies done by NESTA and presented within the Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit supported by the Education and Training Foundation). Every course provides important future-proof skills such as problem-solving, higher-level analysis, and evaluation.

These awards and certificates are fully funded and Workpays has formed a newly-created green progression pathway that learners and apprentices can move through to gain the qualifications they need to find a green career or to gain a better understanding of how to be a sustainable leader.

The Sustainable Leader apprenticeship pathway has been designed to relate sustainability to standards such as Team Leader, Operations Manager, and Improvement Technician to help apprentices understand how to improve their workplace and meet the SDGs, giving real-life examples and experience.

Full green courses include:

  • Entry Level 3, Level 1, and Level 2 Awards in Progression
  • Entry Level 3 Certificate in Progression
  • Entry Level 3 and Level 1 Award in Mental Wellbeing
  • Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Personal Wellbeing

Alex added: “Workpays is committed to being a specialist in green courses, sustainability, and leading the way in providing high-quality inclusive education for all. We have been asked to join and represent training providers within the FE sector in several forums and groups such as #SustainFE helping other institutions and organisations map and create relatable curriculum content for sustainability. Workpays will continue to build on this in the new year.”

Workpays supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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United Cast Bar inspires Brookfield School pupils by hosting the 2023 student challenge

Chesterfield’s United Cast Bar is continuing to play its part in inspiring the next generation of engineers in the town, by hosting a local school to help them discover the exciting pathways available into the sector.

A group of year 10 students from Brookfield School Chesterfield, all whom have an interest in STEM subjects, were challenged to create a short boardroom presentation on the following;

  • The history of iron
  • Its impact and position in Chesterfield over the last 50 years
  • The uses of irons in modern life
  • The environmental future of iron-making

A total of 27 students wanted to be involved with the challenge and were split into 9 teams of 3. After some fantastic presentations, 4 groups were shortlisted for first, second and 2 x third-place positions.

United Cast Bar’s aim is to encourage local young people to understand the development and importance of the industry in the local Community, the careers that are available in the manufacturing and engineering industries locally and to show what interesting and rewarding careers these industries can offer.

The winners were invited to visit United Cast Bar to give their presentations to members of the management team, have a tour of the factory, join the team for lunch and receive their prizes.

United cast bar brookfield

“It was fantastic to see the work done and learn some interesting facts the children had researched about cast iron and its importance to the local area. A successful and enjoyable day was had by all” James Brand UCB Foundries Managing Director remarked, “the professionalism the students showed in both their research and in presenting their results – it was a great pleasure to welcome them to UCB.”

Since 2014, United Cast Bar has also been involved in the Made in Chesterfield initiative, which sees businesses offering tours of their premises to showcase the range of careers available in STEM sectors. Read more about the 2023 Made in Chesterfield festival here. 

United Cast Bar supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Made in Chesterfield UCB

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Young people encouraged to discover career pathways in construction

A series of three events aim to help young people and their and parents and carers learn more about apprenticeships and the options available to them after completing school.

The first Apprenticeship and Technical Education Information Event will be held at Staveley Miner’s Welfare Football Club on Wednesday 15 November from 6pm to 7.30pm. The event is free to attend and designed to allow parents, carers and young people to speak directly with local employers about their options after completing school.

This event has a construction focus with local firms including The Devonshire Group, Harron Homes and Oasis Studio, talking about the wide range of roles in the sector including the building trades but also other roles including architecture, surveying, marketing, business support and many more.

There will be a question-and-answer panel where the attendees can ask about opportunities in the construction sector and pathways into it.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from Young Apprentice ambassadors about their apprenticeship experience. Free refreshments and hot food will be provided to everyone attending.

The event is organised by Chesterfield Borough Council, the D2N2 Careers Hub and Workpays.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “It is crucial that we provide the support young people, and their parents need to make informed decisions about the future. Earlier this year we launched our Skills Action Plan which is all about taking a more collaborative approach to developing skills and career opportunities in Chesterfield and events like this are key to realising that ambitious approach.

“Working with our partners at D2N2 and the ASK programme, along with local employers ensures that young people attending the event can develop a really good understanding of careers available in the construction industry and the paths they can follow from school to secure these careers. We are creating a thriving borough where everyone can benefit from a growing local economy.

“Please do come along to this event or one of the other sector specific events later this year – it’s a fantastic way to help young people make the right decision for themselves to develop a great career in our borough.”

Laura Wilkins, Operational Careers Hub Lead, said: “The D2N2 Careers Hub are thrilled to be working with Chesterfield Borough Council and WorkPays to hold the first Apprenticeship and Technical Education Information event. We are excited to invite young people, parents/carers and the wider community to meet local employers from the construction sector and hear from apprentices about their experience of working and learning.

“This will be the first of three events to be held in the Chesterfield area, our aim for these events is to ensure that young people and their parents/carers receive the information, advice and support they need to be able to make an informed decision about their next steps, and whether an apprenticeship or technical education pathway is right for them.”

Tina Patel, from the ASK programme, said: “I am looking forward to meeting parents and carers who can expect an in depth and insightful talk about the world of apprenticeships to enable you to support your child with their future career decisions. The event will provide you with a greater understanding of the vocational pathways available and how you can support your child to apply for vacancies.”

Details about further Apprenticeship and Technical Education Information Events will be shared on the council’s website and social media.

Oasis Studio, The Devonshire Group, Chesterfield Borough Council, D2N2 Careers Hub and Workpays support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

College students construction
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New skills action plan to boost career opportunities across Chesterfield

A new plan which is designed to boost skills and career opportunities for local people has been launched by Chesterfield Borough Council.

The new Skills Action Plan sets out a variety of partnership initiatives – working with local agencies and businesses – to help bridge the skills gap.

It includes new projects that are designed to provide training and support for local people to improve their skills and access a wider range of career opportunities. The plan also establishes a new Skills and Employment Partnership which aims to put employers at the heart of local skills development and ensure local people are developing the right skills to access new opportunities.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and vice chair of the Skills and Employment Partnership, said: “This new plan and partnership aims to deliver our objective of creating a thriving borough where everyone can benefit from a growing local economy. We want to ensure that local people have the skills to progress in their careers or access new opportunities as they become available. Working closely with businesses is key to achieving our aims because we need to ensure that we are helping local people develop the skills that employers need.

“Our action plan introduces a range of new programmes and initiatives that will help people of all ages to boost their skills and develop new careers. We will be working with lots of delivery partners including education providers, employers, voluntary sector organisations and other councils, to ensure these programmes meet the needs of local people.”

The action plan sets out 12 areas of action across six themes including, Young People, Ambitions and Connections to Work, Increasing Higher Level Skills, Barriers to Employment and Widening the Workforce, Anchor Organisation Project Opportunities, Sector Specific and Future Skills, and Skills Brokerage and Partnership.

Within each theme there are a series of activities and commitments, these include the expansion of the Careers Made In Chesterfield programme, delivering a digital inclusion and work readiness programme, and the creation of a workforce upskilling programme focussed on green and digital careers. These are just some of the many actions that the council will take over the next five years to realise the ambitious plan.

Michael Timmins, a Director at AECOM and chair of the Skills and Employment Partnership, said: “To help the local economy continue to grow we need to work together to ensure people have the right skills and experience to access high quality jobs. I’m proud to chair the new partnership because it shows there is a strong commitment to listening to businesses and responding to their needs through skills development. I look forward to seeing the new programmes starting up and hope that lots of people will take these opportunities on.”

The Skills Action Plan will run from 2023 until 2027. It is just one of a range of projects and initiatives which is being funded through the UKSPF, after the council was successful in securing £2.6m from the Government. It will fund initiatives, until 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

More information about the Skills Action Plan and how people can access the support available will be shared on the council’s website.

Careers Made In Chesterfield - Parkside Community School pilot

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Chesterfield property firms addressing sector skills gaps

Attracting new talent into the property and construction sector is more important than ever. Industry experts have stated that an extra 225,000 workers are required by 2027, equating to roughly 3,500 per year in the East Midlands Region.

In Chesterfield, businesses in the sector continue to work collaboratively in improving access to careers in construction for the future generation.

This was recently identified at a masterclass discussion, aimed at sharing ideas and best practice to support both young people and businesses in securing a future pipeline of talent.

The event, which comprised several leaders from across the property and construction sector in Chesterfield, helped to update the sector on the latest career initiatives taking place, along with signposting firms to various support options open to them.

What is the sector doing to improve the skills pipeline in Chesterfield?

Careers Made in Chesterfield - improving access to careers in construction

A key initiative designed to improve access to careers in construction is  Careers Made in Chesterfield, which saw several businesses participating in face-to-face workshops at Parkside Community School.

Further bolstering the skills needed within the sector in Chesterfield, the Construction Skills Hub in Mastin Moor will welcome learners from autumn. Funded through the Staveley Town Deal, the skills hub will provide a practical platform for construction training, careers activity, and work experience on a live construction site.

The Made in Chesterfield Festival is also returning in November 2023, which sees students visiting business premises, to be inspired by the breadth of career options available.

Speaking at the Masterclass, Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director at The Devonshire Group commented: “We have previously done a lot of work for school-age students, such as the Careers Made in Chesterfield project and the Construction Skills Hub in Staveley, but we also want to focus on the transition from school or further education into the workplace.

“As a forum, we are continuing to try and identify any barriers to reduce drop-out rates in the sector. Ultimately, firms want to connect with students who are interested in the industry and turn them into employees and future business leaders.”

“I believe this is extremely important for the sector because without a reliable pipeline of skilled people, we are not going to be able to grow and projects we want to see in the future.

“We all live, work, and play in things that have been built, so our sector does touch all aspects of society. If we are to keep improving, developing, and hitting sustainability objectives, we need to ensure we have the people to be able to do it.”

Skills support for property and construction businesses

current apprentices in Chesterfield

During the session, Andrew Rodney, Senior Customer Engagement Manager at CITB updated on some of the initiatives on offer to support employers in bolstering their workforce.

Andrew said: “CITB exists to support employers. We know that businesses can find it difficult to know where to look in accessing the right training for their staff and how to access grants to support training.

“Our advisors are here to support businesses in a physical sense, by listening to their training needs and signposting to the most appropriate training organisation. We have recently created a new team to help employers recruit and mentor apprentices.

“There are so many different types of grants available for the property and construction sector. The easiest way to find out more about these would be to access our website. We encourage anyone who is not sure to give us a call and speak to an advisor, so we can point you in the right direction. We want to help in removing barriers for businesses and ensuring that they can access skilled young people to help them grow.”

Help and advice for young people looking to get into property and construction

Property Made Visit - access to careers in construction

Focusing on supporting young people during the discussion, Jenny Kitchen, Founder of Building Rapport explained the work taking place as part of the Regeneration Brainery project, which aims to improve access to careers in construction for young people.

Jenny explained: “Regeneration Brainery exists to fill the skills and diversity gap by engaging with young learners and those seeking employment in the built environment. We bring students and education providers together with businesses that are recruiting apprentices, and we help young people to find meaningful work experience.

“We need one in five school leavers to join our sector to address the current skills crisis. So businesses need to have their own resources to attract and retain young people. Offering high-quality work experience to raise awareness of the variety of roles is a collective approach our sector needs to take seriously.

“During a week with us, students spend time in businesses, on-site, and with a whole variety of professionals, giving them a snippet of working life in our sector.

“We help get young people job ready by nurturing and mentoring them, to find a career, and crucially stay in a career long-term.

“We’ve got the students who are willing to learn, and see a place for themselves in our sector, but they (or their schools) don’t know how to get there aside from a traditional university route, which isn’t the right choice for everyone.

“It is vital to give them the support they need in the first year of starting a new career, to improve retention of skilled young people in the property and construction sector, and to “grow our own.”

“If we don’t address our recruitment processes, we are at risk of excluding many talented, underprivileged, or neurodiverse young people. Who don’t have the confidence or support network to encourage or help them with their first job application.

“We’re also here to remind those who are less academic that they have choices, they can still follow a degree path via an Apprenticeship route that will lead them to reach their potential.

Chesterfield’s collaborative approach to improve access to careers in construction

Chesterfield’s Property and Construction sector continues to bring together business leaders of the region’s property sector and Chesterfield Borough Council to shape and drive forward collaboration, investment, sustainability, and skills within Chesterfield.

The group works together across four key themes, specifically the skills agenda, business support, promoting investment in Chesterfield, and sustainability and wellbeing.

The recent masterclass discussion was yet another example of how the sector continues to collaborate.

Sue Woollett, Social Value Manager at Stepnell Ltd. commented: “One of the things that I love about Chesterfield is that there is such a collaborative approach to everything, especially in the property and construction sector.

“The regular activity that takes place in the sector helps to introduce different businesses to each other and helps our sector work alongside the public sector to help achieve growth, jobs, and development in the local economy.

“It’s no secret that there is a skills gap in our sector, and there is an aging workforce. I feel that there is a misunderstanding about the variety of jobs that are available in construction. We all want to get across that there is a job for everyone in this sector, and we need to help people to understand how many opportunities there are.”

If your business is interested in getting involved with the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group, email: property@chesterfield.co.uk

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Innovative careers scheme inspires Chesterfield’s next generation and aims to reduce skills gaps

A pioneering scheme, which is linking schools with leading property and construction firms in Chesterfield, is inspiring young people to pursue careers in the construction sector.

‘Careers Made in Chesterfield’ has resulted in fourteen quality placements being offered for talented young people to learn about the property and construction sector. This follows several businesses from the town’s property and construction sector participating in workshops at Parkside Community School, showcasing the range of rewarding careers available.

Providing face-to-face interaction with students proved very successful, with 40% of students who completed the programme expressing a high interest in working in the construction sector in the future – rising from just 20% when the scheme was originally conceived in September 2022.

The initiative was launched following a report by CITB, which outlines how an extra 225,000 workers are required in the UK’s property and construction sector by 2027, equating to roughly 3,500 per year in the East Midlands Region alone.

During the ‘Careers Made in Chesterfield’ programme, business leaders carried out an initial speed networking workshop with pupils, answering their questions and helping to open their eyes into the many different exciting roles associated with property and construction.

In the second workshop sessions, students were tasked with designing a new building within the Northern Gateway area of Chesterfield. Working in groups of five to design a community venue, each group was allocated an employer mentor from the property and construction sector to help develop the design.

The project is enabling students to gain vital work experience, but also showcases the breadth of skills needed to achieve Chesterfield’s ambitious growth and regeneration plans.

The innovative pilot has seen 20 professionals from 11 local businesses helping to deliver the programme to 110 Year 10 students at the school.

Andrew Byrne, Property Development Director at The Devonshire Group, and member of the Chesterfield Property and Construction Group added: “One of the main issues being faced by the property and construction sector is that its workforce is getting older.

“It is vital to begin bringing in the next generation, and Careers Made in Chesterfield is one of many initiatives which will help to secure the future pipeline of talent that our businesses rely on.

“It is a very exciting time to be getting into the sector, and with schemes such as this, our young people will one day contribute towards delivering the physical, social, and green infrastructure that Chesterfield needs to continue its sustainable growth.”

Andrew Byrne, The Devonshire Group

Andrew Byrne, The Devonshire Group

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Growth commented: “Working with local businesses to deliver the Careers Made in Chesterfield pilot demonstrates how direct engagement with students can spark their interest in different career paths.

“Helping young people learn more about the skills they need and the options available to them is key to ensuring that we can provide secure high quality jobs in Chesterfield and that they can plan for a great future in our borough.”

Ben Riggott, Head Teacher at Parkside School said: “The Careers Made in Chesterfield pilot represented a step change in creating sustained connections between our Year 10 students and some great local companies.

“This model is fantastic for several reasons.  Perhaps most importantly, students build relationships with employers across the programme, which in turn enhances their confidence and the likely outcomes of work experience.

One of the firms to be welcoming a student on placement in July is Oasis Studio, which provides virtual reality and augmented reality services to property and construction businesses.

Tony Buck, Associate Director at Oasis Studio commented: “We jumped at the chance to get involved in the pilot scheme. The construction industry is continually evolving, adopting new technologies and construction methods.

“To stay competitive, I believe it’s crucial we have a skilled workforce that can embrace these advancements. I really enjoyed demonstrating the range of opportunities in the sector today.  We utilised our VR headsets during the workshop to offer the students a virtual site visit and help them understand the brief. I was genuinely impressed by the student’s level of maturity and engagement throughout the workshops, and their ideation of concepts was fantastic.”

Further addressing the increasing construction skills shortage within Chesterfield, the Construction Skills Hub in Mastin Moor will welcome learners from autumn this year.

Funded through the Staveley Town Deal, the skills hub will provide a practical platform for construction training, careers activity and work experience on a live construction site.

Initially the Skills Hub will provide training in site and bench joinery, brickwork, ground works and electrical installation but in time the offer will expand to include training in retrofit and green technologies. It will be open to school leavers and other residents seeking to train or retrain.

The Hub will provide training, careers insights, and work experience for more than 5,000 learners over 10 years.

Businesses and schools that wish to register their interest in the Careers Made in Chesterfield initiative, are urged to contact Emily Williams, Skills Delivery Officer at Chesterfield Borough Council on 01246 959717.

The Destination Chesterfield Partnership has received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It follows a successful funding bid by Chesterfield Borough Council, to secure £2.69 million worth of funding for local projects.

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Apprenticeships in Chesterfield now even easier to find online

Young people looking for an apprenticeship in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire have been given a helping hand.

A new online search tool has been launched by Apprentice Town making it quicker and easier than ever before to search for apprenticeship vacancies.

The new search function, which is hosted on the Destination Chesterfield website, enables people to browse the wide range of Level 2 – 7 apprenticeship roles within a 15-mile radius of Chesterfield.

People can search for apprenticeship vacancies based on both subject area and Level, with hundreds of opportunities currently available in the local area.

With thousands of young people set to pick up their GCSE and A Level exam results next month; the Apprentice Town website has been praised by business and education leaders in the town.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller, Destination Chesterfield board member and an apprentice employer, commented: “The practical benefits of the Apprentice Town initiative are invaluable both to young people and businesses based in Chesterfield. I have been an employer in Chesterfield for 25 years and I have always made a point of offering apprenticeships; they are an intrinsic part of both Chesterfield’s and MSE Hiller’s growth ambitions.”

Chesterfield College Group Principal and CEO, Julie Richards explains: “We’re proud to have supported so many generations of workforce to Chesterfield employers through apprenticeship programmes. Post-pandemic, it’s pleasing to see that the appetite for recruiting young talent into a business via earning whilst learning is still as great as ever. There are so many fantastic opportunities out there from Level 2 right through to degree equivalent apprenticeships and I strongly encourage those considering their options when leaving school, or even mature learners, to consider an apprenticeship route to achieve the career they want.”

In 2017, Chesterfield became the first town in the UK to declare itself an ‘Apprentice Town’, demonstrating its commitment to growing the future and careers of young people alongside business and the economy.

Chesterfield Borough Council leads the Apprentice Town initiative, which aims to increase the number, levels and quality of apprenticeships available by raising awareness of apprenticeship opportunities in Chesterfield including traineeships, higher level apprenticeships and align these with opportunities emerging in the area.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We’re proud to be the first Apprentice Town in the UK, an apprenticeship is much more than just a job. They allow people to develop their skills and set them along a career path which leads to higher paying jobs – improving their quality of life and helping our borough’s economy to grow.

“We’re committed to making it easier for our residents to find the right apprenticeship opportunity for them, so that everyone has the chance to build a great career in our borough.”

To access the search tool, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/become-an-apprentice-in-chesterfield/find-an-apprenticeship-in-chesterfield/

Or, for more information on the Apprentice Town initiative, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/apprenticeships/what-is-apprentice-town/

 

Apprentice Town - Find Your Apprenticeship - Social Media Landscape2

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Chesterfield College to highlight the importance of apprenticeships at upcoming event

During National Apprenticeship Week (7-11 February) Chesterfield College is inviting people to find out how an apprenticeship can build their future career.

The college is holding an Apprenticeship Careers Fair on Wednesday 9 February, open to the public from 4pm until 6pm at their Infirmary Road campus. The event will give people the chance to explore the benefits of apprenticeships and the range of opportunities available.

A host of local employers who value the role that apprentices play in their workforce will also be at the event. They are keen to meet their future workforce and illustrate how apprenticeships provide a great way to develop skills and a career.

The Chesterfield College Group supports over 3,500 apprentices a year, working with hundreds of employers across a range of industries from care to construction and engineering to education.  Apprenticeships give you the chance to learn and train for a specific job, earn a wage and get hands-on experience.

With plenty of exciting vacancies to choose from, the apprenticeship team from the college will be on hand at the event to offer guidance about the range of options available. They will also offer support throughout the application process.

Leah Shortt, Head of Student & Apprentice Services at Chesterfield College said: “I look forward to welcoming anyone who wants to find out more about apprenticeships to our Apprenticeship Careers Fair. The employers who are joining us are passionate about developing people through apprenticeships. This event gives people a perfect opportunity to chat to them and our experienced apprenticeship team.

“Whether you are a school leaver or you want to explore how apprenticeships can help you start or change your career, this event is for you. Anyone over the age of 16 and living in England can do an apprenticeship. There’s no upper age limit. All you need is a keen interest to build your future.”

Find out more about apprenticeships at Chesterfield College visit https://www.chesterfield.ac.uk/apprenticeships/.

Chesterfield College supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

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Made in Chesterfield praised by businesses, schools and pupils

An impact report has revealed that nearly 200 students from North East Derbyshire’s schools got a hands-on taste of manufacturing and engineering careers during the Made in Chesterfield festival in November last year.

Businesses, teachers and pupils have all praised the Made in Chesterfield initiative.

Nick McGowan, assistant headteacher a teacher at Whittington Green School which visited Woodhead Construction’s enterprise centre site, said: “We’ve been teaching construction in the school for the last 15 years and one thing we have always struggled with is access to site so the visit was absolutely brilliant. The visit opened the student’s horizons to the jobs and opportunities within the construction sector.”

In a review of the month-long annual festival undertaken by Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP) which coordinated Made in Chesterfield in conjunction with Destination Chesterfield, it also found that there was no demand for virtual school visits, indicating that schools are keen to re-engage face-to-face with the business community despite the pandemic.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the borough, said: “The uptake of the physical workplace tours by schools for Made in Chesterfield was very encouraging given the current climate of uncertainty. There is a very real appetite amongst schools to give young people the widest exposure to careers and job opportunities.”

He added: “It is so important that we highlight the local career and job opportunities to young people as they are an intrinsic part of Chesterfield’s growth ambitions.”

Virtual workplace tours were launched last year amidst the pandemic, however with Covid restrictions eased physical workplace tours were reintroduced for 2021.

Pupils from Whittington Green School, Springwell Community College, St Mary’s Catholic High School, The Bolsover School, Shirebrook Academy and Heritage Academy all took part in visits to local engineering and manufacturing businesses, including Aztec Oils, Woodhead Construction, CBE+, Penny Hydraulics, Superior Wellness, Morgan Sindall, Weightron Bilanciai, MSE Hiller and United Cast Bar.

Carol Claydon, Head of HR at Superior Wellness which hosted students from Springwell Community College, said: “The tour organised by Made in Chesterfield was a fantastic opportunity for our business. Our team members thoroughly enjoyed explaining more about the business, their roles and their work experience to the students. It was brilliant to see how inspired the students were and I think it opened their eyes to the various career opportunities within the local area.

“The campaign is a fantastic way to inspire the next generation and hopefully showcase the different sectors and opportunities available within the town of Chesterfield.”

Ben Jones, Project Manager at Weightron Bilanciai which hosted students from Bolsover School added: “Hopefully we have inspired young people to be interested in what they want to do as a career so they can start thinking ahead now to what they should be studying and also whether they want to go to university or follow the apprenticeship route.”

Charlie Goodwin, Projects Officer at DEBP who compiled the report commented: “We are so grateful to the many businesses who got involved with Made in Chesterfield and worked with us to make it a success in 2021. We appreciate that everyone continues to experience challenging times, however the feedback from those who participated has demonstrated the value in providing meaningful insights into the working world and the role this initiative has in inspiring future employees.”

Launched originally in 2013, the annual Made in Chesterfield campaign, has since introduced thousands of young people across North East Derbyshire to the possibility of a career in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) sector.

The hands-on campaign aims to bridge the careers information gap between education and industry by giving schools and pupils access to workplace tours, a range of careers videos and the MyFuture virtual careers fair.

Made in Chesterfield 2021 was made possible thanks to funding and support from The Chesterfield College Group, Chesterfield Borough Council, D2N2 LEP and Careers and Enterprise Company, Derbyshire North Career Hub, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd and NatWest.

Emily Carter, Operational Careers Hub Lead at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership added: “We are ever grateful to our cornerstone employers and local business partners for supporting opportunities such as the Made in Chesterfield open doors programmes, supporting young people’s career awareness and aspirations, again this year despite the challenges still faced by industry.

“D2N2 Careers Hub is excited to fund the expansion of this successful model to bring more open doors programmes to young people across the wider D2N2 region during the rest of the 2021-22 academic year.”

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of the Chesterfield College Group said: “I am delighted to hear that once again the Made in Chesterfield initiative has been a great success. We are proud to support the programme of activities which take place to connect the future workforce with local employers. It is very encouraging to hear how so many schools and employers benefited. It is critical we excite and educate the next generation to understand the fantastic career opportunities for engineering and manufacturing in Chesterfield to build the workforce for the future and secure local economic growth.”

A number of the businesses involved in the Made in Chesterfield campaign are keen to continue to work with schools throughout the year. If your school would like to arrange a workplace visit, please contact DEBP on 01246 212 535.

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