Life Ready receives backing of Local Businesses
Published on Monday, 13 February 2017
Solihull Chamber of Commerce has selected Life Ready as its local campaign for 2017. Developed with Head Teachers and Senior Leaders and managed by Solihull Council, this local initiative supports schools and colleges in developing independent, life ready young adults and helps raise the standards of careers guidance across Solihull. This is an important endorsement for Life Ready which has employer involvement at its centre.
John Callaghan, has said
‘As President of Solihull Chamber of Commerce I often hear employers commenting that many school leavers and students are not ready and prepared for the world of work. The Life Ready programme has been developed with employers working with education professionals and has been carefully designed to deliver to all age groups to focus on preparing them for employment. I recognise that there is some way to go but this excellent initiative provides a strong basis on which we can build.’
Gareth Davies, Assistant Head Teacher at Lode Heath and co-founder of Life Ready said:
‘The Life Ready programme aims to equip children of all ages with the key skills needed in the workplace, boosting our economy and supporting our society. Solihull Chamber is the ideal organisation to bring together employers from a range of sectors to help us achieve this, as increasingly young people need to leave education not only with appropriate academic results but with the skills that we know businesses need now and in the future’
A key part of Life Ready is the role of Enterprise Adviser, a business volunteer that works with a school Senior Leader, providing strategic advice to to develop a whole-school Carers and Enterprise Plan. Gareth continues;
Our Enterprise Adviser, Andy Cole [MBE, GM Touchwood Shopping Centre] is a welcome critical friend who brings years of industry experience across a number of sectors. His advice informs planning and delivery whilst also helping to hold me as a senior leader to account, ensuring pupils make progress in their preparation for employment.
Supporting Life Ready is an investment in the workforce of the future and will help promote different sectors and raise awareness of the breadth of career opportunities. By better preparing young people for their future learning and careers Life Ready will also support the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce ‘Growth through People’ campaign which aims to help organisations increase productivity and manage their workforce. As Joan Smith, Divisional Director of Solihull Chamber of Commerce, explains;
‘We are delighted that our Executive Board has chosen Life Ready as the Chamber local section campaign for our division within the GBCC group. This campaign will raise awareness to Life Ready to all our members. I believe that we all have a duty of care to our younger generation to up-skill them in all areas of business, from a young age. The Life Ready programme is already proving to be a huge success in schools through our members in Solihull chamber. We have already signed up about six of our members to the Enterprise Adviser role’.
Life Ready is part of the national Careers and Enterprise Company’s (CEC) Enterprise Adviser Network – although the CEC’s model doesn’t include primary schools, in Solihull there was strong support to make Life Ready an all-age programme. There is a growing consensus that careers activity should begin at Primary school – Life Ready is ensuring Solihull is forging ahead with this activity and will develop examples of best practice to share with other areas.
If you would like to learn more about Life Ready and how you can be involved, contact Hannah Colson on 0121 704 8737 or email
lifeready@solihull.gov.uk.