Bucks Skills Hub conference goes virtual

Bucks Skills Hub’s third annual headteacher conference went virtual, bringing together school leaders, careers leads and industry sector leaders from across the country, including the creator of the Gatsby Benchmarks, Sir John Holman.

Held in July with the aim of exploring career options and opportunities to help get students back on track after lockdown, the annual conference welcomed 87 headteachers, senior leaders, careers leaders, enterprise advisers and cornerstone employers, including special guests:

  • Professor Sir John Holman, creator of the Gatsby Benchmarks
  • Nicola Hall, Director of Education, Careers & Enterprise Company
  • Professor Gavin Brooks, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Buckinghamshire New University, and Chair of the Buckinghamshire Skills Advisory Panel

Marina Jackson, Under 19 Skills Manager & Careers Hub Lead, Buckinghamshire Skills Hub, said: “Thank you to all our speakers who contributed to an inspiring and informative event. It was great to hear such enthusiasm about our young people's futures and determination for high-quality careers inspiration.”

The conference speakers provided information and ideas to support and address the challenges that are facing schools and students during the next academic year, to ensure they continue to receive gold-standard career advice and guidance, within the Gatsby framework, which is paramount to assist the UK to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic during the next decade.

Jo Meloni, Headteacher, The Misbourne, said: “You would think that opportunities to engage over 80 headteachers, cornerstone employers, careers leaders and enterprise advisers all in one space might be impossible during a global pandemic, but not for the Buckinghamshire Skills Hub.

“Such is the value of careers education for our young people, that this was not only achieved, but we were joined by the author of the Gatsby Foundation’s Good Career Guidance report, Professor Sir John Holman. and the Careers and Enterprise Company Director of Education, Nicola Hall. Now more than ever, young people need our support and guidance to ensure they have the skills, understanding and ambition to chase their dreams and lead happy and successful lives and thanks to the Buckinghamshire Skills Hub, we are working together, stronger than ever, to help make this happen.”

June Wilkinson, BAM Construction, said: “It is important that we continue to provide careers education to our young people at this time. We must learn how to adapt and change the way that we engage with young people to ensure that they have the skills and information that they need to enter the workplace post COVID-19.”

Bucks Skills Show 2020 goes online - register your interest

Bucks Skills Hub is taking its popular Skills Show online this year by live streaming employers into classrooms around the county. Instead of the usual interactive face-to-face exhibits, the focus will be on bringing lessons to life by showing how curriculum subjects are applied in the workplace.

The Bucks Skills Show Online 2020 takes place from Monday 9th – Friday 13th November. To express an interest in being a part of this experience, fill out this quick online form.

SAVE THE DATE: The Bucks Skills Show 2021 will be back face-to-face on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th October 2021. Use the same form to express an interest in exhibiting at the show, or for more information.

What is the Bucks Skills Hub?

The Buckinghamshire Skills Hub promotes and optimises links between the business community and education/training providers to enable young people and adults to gain valuable insight into career opportunities, and helps them develop the skills and qualifications they need to progress in the workplace at whatever stage of their career they are in.

Bucks Careers Hub named top-performer in the country

The latest review by the Careers & Enterprise Company shows Bucks Careers Hub - part of Bucks Skills Hub - as the top-performing careers hub in the country, outperforming the national average against the Gatsby Benchmarks - the government’s framework of eight guidelines that define the best careers provision in secondary schools.

Bucks Careers Hub was also recently awarded an extension to its existing careers hub to cover all 37 mainstream secondary schools in Buckinghamshire. Read more about this great news here.

How your business can get involved in students' futures

Businesses can have a real impact on young people's futures by engaging with Bucks Skills Hub and helping to create an entrepreneurial cuture within schools, something that's especially important now as young people face increasing challenges to kick-start their careers post-coronavirus.

For more information on how your business can get involved with inspiring young people, email info@bucksskillshub.org.

Providing inspiration to students during lockdown

Bucks Skills Hub has created guides for students to help them explore careers and be inspired about their futures, helping them to stay focused during lockdown and beyond.

The Bucks Skills Hub is managed by Buckinghamshire Business First and supported by Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Buckinghamshire Council and the Careers & Enterprise Company.

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