Employment initiative launched at careers conference

Representatives from the county's schools, colleges and Lancashire's business sector gathered for an annual careers conference which saw the launch of a new initiative aimed at preparing individuals for the world of work.

Around 200 delegates participated in the Lancashire Careers Hub’s annual conference hosted by the University of Central Lancashire and held in partnership with Future U.

The event saw the launch of 'Work Ready Lancashire', developed by the Lancashire Careers Hub in partnership with the Lancashire Chambers of Commerce.

The programme is aimed at linking education and businesses to boost the attributes that Lancashire employers are looking for and help young people to better secure jobs.

Other topics included a major boost in cyber jobs, described by a speaker from the National Cyber Force, a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and GCHQ, which will be based in Samlesbury from next year.

With the National Cyber Force based in Samlesbury, he said a new ‘cyber corridor’ stretching from Lancaster to Manchester is on the horizon, bringing skilled jobs to Lancashire. It will also help to grow the technology, digital and defence sectors and encourage partnerships between government, industry and universities. sectors and encourage partnerships between government, industry and universities.

Also on the docket at the conference were many career opportunities, with the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub overseeing the  Lancashire Careers Hub and working with leading employability experts and careers charity Inspira.

Among the top speakers was John Yarham, deputy CEO of the Careers and Enterprise Company, which co funds the Lancashire Careers Hub with Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council. 

Ian Parry, director of Education at Southport Learning Trust, spoke of the trust’s experience in embedding aspiration across the curriculum to boost the ambitions of young people in schools, describing a ‘whole village approach’ involving businesses and the local community to support young people.

Kay Vaughan, careers hub lead, said: “The Lancashire Careers Hub is supporting schools and colleges across Lancashire enabling more than 90,000 young people to experience encounters with employers, further and higher education and apprenticeships providers.

"It is helping them to have those inspirational moments, those lightbulb moments, a nugget of information or an experience that inspires them and helps them to navigate what their next best step should be.”