Careers Hub

Building on the success of the Life Ready programme, Solihull Council was awarded funding from the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) in July 2019 to set up a Careers Hub as part of the second wave of a national initiative; Careers Hubs were launched by the CEC in September 2018.  The 20 Hubs in the first wave were shown to outperform the national average across all aspects of careers education.

The Solihull Careers Hub is made up of 24 secondary schools and colleges across the Borough, including 8 special educational needs providers, Alternative provision and Pupil Referral Units.  Working together with our local Enterprise Advisor Network, Cornerstone Employers, universities, training providers, local businesses and career professionals, the Careers Hub supports the schools and colleges in achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks, a framework of eight guidelines that define the best careers provision in secondary schools.

In Solihull, the following priorities have been identified to help deliver the greatest impact for young people:

• Use feedback from parents/carers and employers, to improve and shape school and college Career and Enterprise Plans– to help with achievement of Gatsby Benchmark 1
• Develop engaging and inspiring Labour Market Information (LMI) for young people, parents and schools. This includes information about pathways in to careers, local sector overviews, key occupations, expected earnings and future trends   – to help with the achievement of Gatsby Benchmark 2
• Delivering our Skills for Success programme to support students identified as being at risk of NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) - to help with the achievement of Gatsby Benchmark 3
• Support schools and colleges to Link curriculum learning to careers -  to help with the achievement of Gatsby Benchmark 4
• Improve the opportunities for young people to experience meaningful encounters with employers & employees;  learning about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace – to help with the achievement of Gatsby Benchmark 5
• Support meaningful experiences of workplaces both virtually and through work visits, shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities – to help with the achievement of Gatsby Benchmark 6
• The establishment and delivery of an SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) Community of Practice to allow schools to share best practice, develop resources and build sustainable relationships with employers in order to challenge negative stereotypes and assumptions about limitations.
• The delivery of a Governor Network to allow Link Governors for Careers to share best practice, discuss how to overcome challenges and receive annual careers training. 

How Employers can get involved:

Engaging with business, employers and employees is vital to the delivery of impactful careers education and the success of Careers Hubs.  From giving an hour to deliver a mock interview, to providing strategic input to a school’s careers programme there are many opportunities to support education and young people.

Give an Hour & Step Up volunteers support schools and colleges with the delivery of specific careers related activities.  This could include mock interviews, careers talks, careers fairs, mentoring and much more. Usually the first step in working with schools, even an hour can create new perspectives and inspire new ideas, just by showing what is possible.

Enterprise Advisers (EA’s) volunteers that work directly with an individual school or college Careers Leader and Senior Leadership to develop a careers programme.  EA’s utilise their business experience and professional networks to ensure the careers strategy is effective and puts opportunities with local employers at the heart of a young person’s education. EA’s help schools and colleges to identify their priorities, focus their efforts and allows them to expand their employer network
    
Cornerstone Employers provide strategic support to the Hub and the schools and colleges, investing time and resource to benefit young people.  Working with other Cornerstone Employers they share best practice and collaborate to meet the need of the schools and colleges.


To find out more and get involved, contact:  lifeready@solihull.gov.uk