Careers Hub expansion in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire is part of a new wave of Careers Hub expansion announced by the Department for Education and The Careers & Enterprise Company, extending coverage in local communities across England.

The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Careers Hub will be made up of 85 local schools and colleges working together with local employers, universities and training providers.

Schools and colleges have access to support and funding, including an expert ‘Hub Lead’ to help coordinate activity and build networks, a central fund to support employer engagement activities, and training for a ‘Careers Leader’ in each school and college.

The impact of Careers Hubs on the careers support young people receive has been profound since the first hubs started in September 2018, covering 710 schools. That number grew to 1,300 schools in 2019.

Working through a partnership approach with schools, colleges, employers, local enterprise partnerships and other local organisations, Careers Hubs have accelerated levels of support and improvement in young people’s career development.

More than 2,200 schools in communities across country will now be in a Careers Hub – nearly half of all state sector schools and colleges. In 11 regions, all schools and colleges will now be covered by a Careers Hub.

Careers Hubs have been at the forefront of efforts to respond to the initial period of lockdown, continuing to offer young people support with their career decision making. They were key partners in the recent national on-line virtual work experience week with CEC, Oak National Academy and Learn Live, where over 100,000 young people gained insights to a range of sectors through digital platforms.

The proven Careers hub model will now play a critical role in supporting local skills development, and as key responses to Local Enterprise Partnership’s and Mayoral local economic recovery plans.

Driven nationally by the Careers & Enterprise Company, Hubs deliver locally, informed by local skills needs and tailored to respond to developments in local job markets.

Evidence published by CEC in October last year showed Career Hubs accelerating overall careers education progress and performance by 56 per cent in 12 months. Key findings were:

• 95% higher standard of performance in schools linked to Hubs over schools that are outside the careers network established by CEC.
• Two third of schools and colleges in Hubs run regular encounters with employers, compared with just over a third (36%) in schools and colleges outside the network
• Nearly three in five schools and colleges in Hubs run work experience compared to around a third (35%) outside the network
• Nearly two thirds of schools and colleges in Hubs are learning about careers direct from the jobs market compared with only 3 in 10 schools outside the network.

Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, Gillian Keegan said:

We want young people across the country to receive the best careers advice so they can get a head start in the world of work and go on to have successful careers.

The expansion of our Careers Hubs will mean we are now supporting more than 2,200 schools and colleges, bringing them together with employers to provide high quality careers guidance.

Now, more than ever, it’s vital young people make the most of their talents and are aware of the range of opportunities available. This is brilliant news and I look forward to hearing about the progress made.”

John Yarham, Interim CEO of The Careers & Enterprise Company said:

Careers Hubs drive accelerated performance in careers education and have proven particularly robust and resilient during the covid-19 crisis, continuing to support young people in local communities.

Careers Hubs bring people together. They create a powerful partnership between schools, colleges, employers and local agencies focused on improving skills and opportunity for young people, tailored to local need – nationally led, locally developed and delivered.

This partnership is a critical point of difference from the past and means we are better positioned to weather the storm and help our next generation navigate the choppy waters ahead.

Schools, colleges and young people have a real time connection to the changing jobs market – opening opportunity in areas that are emerging the strongest and growing the fastest. What this means is we have the opportunity to more closely match real people to real jobs in real time. It is a proven robust and sustainable model for the needs of now and into the future.”