With the launch of Explore Your Future in March, local businesses have joined Shaping Portsmouth to inspire Portsmouth’s young people aged 14-19 through the real-life experiences of a diverse pool of role models. The programme is part of Shaping Portsmouth’s renewed education strategy and focus on supporting schools and their young people to explore the variety of careers and paths that exist in our vibrant city economy.
In partnership with Portsmouth City Council and local schools, the programme aims to support the awareness of routes to jobs and careers that young people might find engaging and rewarding. Through a series of recorded interviews, the stories are provided to local schools as a free online and downloadable resource. Almost twenty interviews across a host of industries have already been created celebrating the breadth of opportunity in Portsmouth and the support of local businesses.
Louise Panou-King, Careers Leader at Miltoncross Academy, said “the videos give students a great opportunity to see what is available to them and all the possible routes they can take post-16. The message “Be Brave” is so important as this is a key factor through life.”
Evie, a Year 10 student at Miltoncross Academy, commented “it’s a great video to help children decide what career choices are out there.”
Simon Lamb from Sylvadale Ltd, who was interviewed for the programme, said “Having young people join us as apprentices is an important part of our business growth. It allows us to mould our future workforce and provides a more hands on training route to a successful career. Explore Your Future provided me with the opportunity to share my own career journey and hopefully inspire more young people into Plumbing & Heating to help fill the UK’s skills gap.”
Shaping CEO Stef Nienaltowski adds “I am incredibly proud of this programme, the team behind it, and programme leads Jo Burfitt and Lee Butler in particular for all they have achieved. We really do want to introduce our city’s students to the widest variety of careers and career paths possible, so if you can spare half an hour and would like to add your story to our interview library, please do get in touch.”
Online Interviews will continue, and the programme aims to visit schools for live sessions in January 2022.
All career stories are welcome, so are you ready to inspire the future? Join us at shapingportsmouth.co.uk/education_programme/explore-your-future.
