Skills Conference links up Warwickshire youngsters with potential employers

Young people from Warwickshire were given the chance to talk to potential employers at a Skills Conference held at the Trident Centre in Leamington.
Campion School pupils Zoha Imtiaz, Chloe White and Olivia Turner at the Skills Conference at Warwick Trident Centre. Picture by Dave Warren.Campion School pupils Zoha Imtiaz, Chloe White and Olivia Turner at the Skills Conference at Warwick Trident Centre. Picture by Dave Warren.
Campion School pupils Zoha Imtiaz, Chloe White and Olivia Turner at the Skills Conference at Warwick Trident Centre. Picture by Dave Warren.

The event, hosted by Warwickshire County Council at the Warwickshire College site, involved talks by business partners - including Aston Martin, Alumet Systems UK, Contechs and Triton Showers - which are involved in county council-funded skills projects, while school pupils were given the chance to showcase some of their skills.

There was also a discussion session for business and education leaders to consider how joint-working can be further developed to improve the employability skills of young people.

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Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of the county council and board member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “A strong, joined-up education and skills system is a vital part of securing the region’s future economic growth and we are addressing this issue head on with our Skills for Employment programme.

“We need to ensure that businesses are making the most of the fantastic potential of the young people we have in Warwickshire, while our youngsters need to be aware of the different opportunities provided by local employers. This conference has helped to ensure more of our young people are set on their own pathways to success.”

The county council’s £2.4m Skills for Employment programme is committed to run until 2018 and aims to bring together businesses and education and training providers to enable young people to enter the workplace with the requisite skills. So far, grants totalling £500,000 have been awarded to schools and colleges.