Chamber Statement on House of Lords Report on Improving the Transition from School to Work

NECC welcomes this report, as its members are clear that there is a need for improved careers advice in schools and colleges.  Chamber members believe that increasing collaboration between businesses and the education system is the best way to achieve this.  NECC is supporting the work of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Career Benchmarks Pilot, and the Enterprise Adviser programme in the North East and Tees Valley LEP areas.

NECC members have also called for schools to be assessed on the employment and training destinations of their pupils, and not solely on exam results, to encourage schools to include employability skills in the curriculum.

Nadine Hudspeth, Chair of NECC’s Education & Skills Group and Director of Marketing & Communications at Gateshead College, said: “I don’t agree that there is too much focus on apprenticeships – in fact our research has found that many young people are not aware that apprenticeships are an option at age 16. When the Apprenticeships Levy for larger employers is introduced in April 2017, there will be an incentive for employers to train more young people, and the College will be ready to advise them on their options.”