The Shaping Portsmouth Choose Employability programme is supporting Portsmouth City Council with their Employability Academy.
Hosted by the Portsmouth City Council Careers and Youth Hub, the Employability Academy aims to help Care Experienced Young People take the next step towards work and education. This 6-week programme focused on understanding self-awareness and personal strengths, practical career advice, life skills such as financial literacy, and effective workplace communication to provide these young people with key capabilities when entering the workplace.
Our role at Shaping Portsmouth was to provide guest speakers for four of these sessions to provide real life examples and journeys, with the goal of inspiring and motivating the attendees. We want to express our utmost gratitude to Jodie Goodchild, Gunwharf Quays and Landec, South Western Railway, Delivered Social, Carrington West, and Citrus, for taking the time to speak at these sessions and engage with this programme. So far, two of the young people have been interviewed and have moved into employment, and we have set up one individual with a mentoring opportunity.
Kev Sadler, Careers & Progression Advisor at Portsmouth City Council, said “A huge thank you to our employer panels for sharing their time and inspiring career journeys with the young people. The message was clear: a positive attitude, reliability and enthusiasm can open doors. Real stories and sector insights are already building confidence with the group. Big thanks also to Amy Cusack and Shaping Portsmouth for connecting the Employability Academy with passionate business volunteers.”
The Academy has its final 1-to-1 sessions next week and we will then be looking to place the attendees in placements and mentorship schemes depending on the individual. If you or your organisation would be willing to participate in these activities or speak at similar events in the future, please reach out to info@shapingportsmouth.co.uk.