Our West of England Careers Hub is one of 10 projects selected to benefit from a £2 million programme to help connect disadvantaged young people in England with the education and skills they need to prepare them for their future careers.
The new project will support students from across the West of England who are at risk of under attainment because of high levels of absence from school. It will work with these students to help them overcome barriers they face, and help them to move out of education into further studies, work or training.
Over two and a half years the project will run one-to-one guidance sessions with students about their future options, deliver group mentoring sessions, and introduce young people to local employers.
The new project is supported by JPMorgan Chase and being rolled out by the national body for careers education, The Careers & Enterprise Company.
It is being run by our West of England Careers Hub which supports 95 schools and colleges and their 68,000 students.
Patricia Greer, West of England Combined Authority chief executive, said: “Through our Careers Hub, we’re connecting young people with the opportunities available to them in the region. I’m pleased that we’ve been able to secure this funding – as one of only 10 regions nationally. It is vitally important we make this additional support available for young people to gain the information, advice and guidance they need to fulfil their potential, especially those who face additional barriers to positive education and career outcomes. Through continued collaboration with our local councils and schools, I look forward to us giving even more young people the opportunities they need to progress into skilled careers across the West of England.”