Chairman of the Somerset Employment and Skills Board, Kath Gigg, and industry leaders from Somerset, paid a visit to Weymouth’s Budmouth College to get a first-hand look at how Somerset’s neighbouring county is preparing young people for the world of work.
Improving education-business engagement is a key priority for the industry-led Employment and Skills Board (ESB) and the leading representatives from business and education in Somerset were keen to see how young people in Weymouth are being encouraged to prepare for employment within local businesses.
The board members visited the Centre of Excellence for Industrial Liaison (CEIL) at Budmouth College in Dorset. The centre is based on the College site but employs non-teaching staff and provides a very different study and work environment for its young interns, who must apply to become members and take on key roles to support the smooth running of the centre.
A number of local business sponsors have provided the funds to run the centre, whilst others make a small donation to use hot-desks and a cleverly designed nine zone development space. The young people benefit from personalised support and the opportunity to develop essential employability and job specific skills by working on tasks and projects, which are identified by business users.
Director of the Centre, Marcel Ciantar is passionate about getting it right, both for businesses and young people. “Our centre provides an opportunity for businesses to work alongside our students, try before they buy, and help mould the end product.”
The ESB’s Thematic Champion for Education-Business Engagement, Patricia Marks of Somerset Business Agency (representing the Federation of Small Businesses) said, “This is a really great example of a business-focused professional development model that works. Rather than being a ‘bolt-on’ careers activity, young people are meaningfully engaged with the centre’s business users and are able to apply their academic and vocational learning to a real work environment.”
Patricia continued, “We hope that schools and colleges in Somerset will seriously review this model and consider becoming one of five new Centres of Excellence that could pave the way for a national roll-out.”
For more information on the Somerset Employment and Skills Board and for the latest news, visit www.skills4somerset.org.uk.