Hertfordshire Careers Hub hosted its inaugural Next Generation Hertfordshire conference last week, bringing vital Labour Market Information (LMI) to careers education influencers from across the county.
The conference was attended by Careers Leaders from over 80 local schools and colleges; careers practitioners from Services for Young People; and Hertfordshire Careers Hub’s own network of Enterpriser Advisors (business volunteers who work with schools to support careers education).
In the spotlight were Hertfordshire’s seven key priority sectors and the opportunities their growth will bring to the next generation of employees. The conference raised awareness of the jobs of the future and the skills needed to fulfil them, to equip Careers Leaders with the information they need to ensure young people are best positioned to seize the opportunities on their doorstep.
Labour Market Information is vital to the provision of good careers education and can help inform a young person’s career choices.
The conference launched a brand new suite of seven sector-focused infographics for use in schools and colleges to help inform young people about the industries that are growing and hiring locally. These cover Film, TV & Creative Media; Life Sciences; Business, Legal & Finance; Construction; Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing; Health & Social Care; and Technology. A further set of district-focused infographics are available, which cover key sectors within each of the county’s 10 districts as well as an introduction to local employers. Access these resources via the Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP).
Hertfordshire Careers Hub, set up by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in 2019, is one of 40 Careers Hubs across the UK funded by The Careers & Enterprise Company. It brings together schools, colleges, employers and providers to drive forward careers education that supports the ambitions of Hertfordshire’s business community and its young people. Currently Hertfordshire LEP and its team of Enterprise Coordinators works with 110 of the 112 eligible schools within the county. Learn more about the Careers Hub.
Gareth Dace, Careers Hub Strategic Lead, Hertfordshire LEP, said: “Our Careers Hub’s main focus this year is to make sure that careers education is part of local economic strategies. Our speakers and industry representatives did a fantastic job in demystifying the labour market landscape and we were delighted that Careers Leaders from so many schools and colleges attended the conference. We hope the event has equipped them with the knowledge and confidence to have those important conversations with their students around local career opportunities.”
Norman Jennings, Operations Director, Hertfordshire LEP, said: “We are grateful to The Careers & Enterprise Company whose support for our Careers Hub enables us to continue bringing education and enterprise together at events like this. The emergence of key sectors reinforces the importance of engaging with our school and college network to ensure young people are aware of the opportunities available within the county.
“To that end, it is vital we support those who have direct contact with our young people to better understand the labour market landscape, the sectors that are growing and hiring, and the types of jobs that will be in demand in the future. The work being undertaken by Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce to create the county's Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) will also help to identify the skills needs of local employers."
22 local employers of all sizes, representing the county’s seven key sectors, hosted interactive workshops to discuss their industry and future skills needs, as well as entry routes for young people and common myths and preconceptions that can be tackled in schools. Employers included Sky Studios Elstree, the NHS and MBDA. The conference culminated with a presentation by Dr Anna Morrison CBE, founder of Amazing Apprenticeships, who set out the new Provider Access Legislation requirements that will affect all schools.
Ewan Macauley, Careers Leader, Haileybury Turnford School, said: “The three breakout sessions I went to were fantastic. The myth busters were great - we can pull this straight into staff training or student sessions. The panel was interesting and Anna Morrison was really clear. As always, very impressed by the efforts you go to to give us information and ultimately help us help our communities.”
Louise Towler, Owner of Indigo Tree, a Digital Creative Agency located in Tring, was part of the Technology Sector group and presented two workshops alongside Renee Ramsay-Nicol, Future Talent Specialist from Computacenter, Hatfield.
Louise said: “I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to speak at the conference today. It was great to see so many people interested in careers in technology, and to talk about the experience of working in a smaller business.”
Gareth concluded: “We encourage all schools to access the sector and district infographic posters, which are designed to be used as part of lessons, and can also be shared directly with students, teachers and parents/carers. These are just two examples of the fantastic free resources that are available on Hertfordshire LEP’s skills portal HOP to support careers education, and we invite you to discover more by visiting www.hopinto.co.uk.”
Provider Access Legislation (PAL)
It is vital we support those who have direct contact with our young people to better understand the labour market landscape, the sectors that are growing and hiring, and the types of jobs that will be in demand in the future.
It is vital we support those who have direct contact with our young people to better understand the labour market landscape, the sectors that are growing and hiring, and the types of jobs that will be in demand in the future.