Warwickshire educators, businesses and local residents are to have their say on shaping a new Careers Strategy for the county.
Warwickshire County Council is undertaking a public consultation from 19 June – 26 July, to allow a wide variety of voices to give feedback on the Council’s draft Careers Strategy.
Effective careers and employability advice and support are critical components of a successful local economy. They can help people gain the skills needed by local employers, and pursue careers that match their talents and interests, as well as support those who want, or need, to change occupations. Good careers advice can also facilitate social mobility by raising aspirations and highlighting career pathways individuals may not have thought of.
With the number of vacancies posted online in Warwickshire growing, and the ratio of vacancies to working age population almost double the national regional average, according to Office for National Statistics figures, an effective careers strategy for the county is vital.
Key audiences for the consultation include residents – particularly, vulnerable groups such as care leavers; young people, parents and adults looking to retrain; businesses; education and training providers. The County Council will be running a series of formal and informal meetings and consultations to reach these groups across the county with the help of schools the Local Enterprise Partnership; Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council says:
“Warwickshire has a strong and growing economy which the County Council works hard to support. It’s vital that the skills and aspirations of the local workforce match the needs of that economy. Through our Careers Strategy we want to expose Warwickshire students, their influencers and educators to careers in local growth sectors and increase the number of people taking up further education and higher value employment in those sectors.
“We also want to enable all our residents – whatever their age – to access the education and skills they need to secure fulfilling, appropriate, sustainable and well paid employment throughout their lives, which supports the growth and prosperity of Warwickshire’s economy. We’d like to hear from as many voices as possible during this consultation period, to ensure our strategy takes into account the needs and views of all sectors of our community.”
To take part in the online consultation follow this link: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ask
Warwickshire County Council’s new draft Careers Strategy is based on the principles set out in the Government’s National Careers Strategy of December 2017 which highlights the merits of timely careers and employability support in terms of sustainable employment and higher lifetime earnings. Warwickshire County Council’s draft Careers Strategy currently has five key priorities:
• Raising the awareness of the range of career and employment opportunities locally, inspiring residents of all ages to develop their education and skills as far as possible
• Building the capacity of our education providers to deliver effective and sustainable Careers support and advice
• Providing targeted support and help to our most vulnerable learners
• Improving alignment of demand and supply of skills, now and in the future
• Encouraging and enabling businesses to recruit from a richer and wider talent pool.