Apprentice Town

Derbyshire named as one of 55 areas to benefit as a government ‘education investment area’

Derbyshire is one of the areas to be included in new government plans to transform education.

The County has been identified as one of 55 ‘cold spots’ across the country to benefit as an ‘Education Investment Area’.

In these new areas the Department for Education will target investment, support and action to help children from all backgrounds and areas to succeed at the very highest levels.

Derbyshire County Council’s Member for Education, Cllr Alex Dale said: “We very much welcome today’s announcement that Derbyshire has been recognised as one of 55 areas across the country to benefit from this new government investment in education to ensure every child has the same opportunities, wherever they live and whatever their background.

“This investment into the county is a great opportunity to support our schools and will complement work we’ve already started by investing £1m into local programmes to improve reading and essential life skills for young people.

“The detail of exactly what this announcement means for Derbyshire is to follow and we will be studying it closely, but meanwhile we look forward to working with the Department for Education on our collective ambition to improve education in Derbyshire and give every child the best possible start in life.”

The new government investment will build on the county’s work during the coronavirus pandemic to deliver a £2.8 million Holiday Activities and Food programme, which established a network of 62 community and voluntary providers to deliver more than 60,000 holiday activity and food places to vulnerable children eligible to free school meals over summer and Christmas.

At the height of the pandemic between June 2020 and October 2021 the council also offered an additional 816 places through its sports and outdoor education services, delivered more than 9,000 digital devices to Derbyshire children through government schemes and provided internet connection to 562 children and young people across Derbyshire.

Find out more about learning and skills in Chesterfield here: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/about-chesterfield/learning/

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

Chesterfield MP congratulates local construction apprentices

The Chesterfield MP and Shadow Minister, Toby Perkins, has praised the work of local construction apprentices during a visit to William Davis Homes’ Skylarks development.

Mr Perkins, Shadow Minister for Skills and Further Education, presented certificates to bricklayer Kieran Moulds and joiners Joshua Ford and Dominic Heardman.

The trio completed their apprenticeships with the house builder at the development in Dunston. All three live in Chesterfield, attended Chesterfield College and will continue to work at Skylarks in their chosen trades.

Mr Perkins was joined by Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and representatives from Chesterfield College. Both organisations worked with William Davis Homes to create these local apprenticeships opportunities.

Gary Long is the Apprenticeship Manager at William Davis Homes. He said: “It’s rewarding to see these three completing their apprenticeships after what has been a difficult couple of years for them. They have seen their training disrupted because of the pandemic and I’m proud of the resilience and commitment they have shown despite this challenge.

“We were also pleased to work with Chesterfield College and the Borough Council to offer our apprenticeships to young people in the Chesterfield area looking to build a career in construction. Over the years, a large part of our workforce has been built on apprenticeships and we aim to continue to create these opportunities.”

The MP for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins, said: “I am delighted to present these apprentices with their certificates and congratulate them on their hard work and achievement. I also want to thank William Davis Homes, Chesterfield Borough Council and Chesterfield College for working together to create these positions and help these apprentices with their skills development and career progression. This cooperation by local authorities, providers and businesses is great to see.

“Recent research proves that our nation’s economic growth is being held back because too few young people are being attracted into the Construction industry. It is estimated that we need to train as many as 40,000 more apprentices every year to keep pace with demand and retirements from the industry. We need many more apprenticeship opportunities so I am delighted to herald the work of these young people today.

“Skills and retraining should be a vital part of our economic recovery and high-quality apprenticeships are central to this. These apprentices now have a foothold in the construction industry, which they can use to build a career in many different directions.”

Councillor Amanda Serjeant added: “Developing the skills young people have is vital to ensuring they have the ability to access career opportunities created by investment in Chesterfield. Our local labour clauses help ensure that investment creates these local employment opportunities and prioritises local suppliers.

“The progress of the apprentices on this site is just one of many successful examples of this policy in action. We can help create the opportunities with investors and developers but it is the hard work of these apprentices that has ensured they achieve their qualifications and developed the skills they need to be successful. I want to congratulate them all on this fantastic achievement.”

This week marks National Apprenticeships Week in the UK, running between 7th-13th February. The week is being marked in Chesterfield with the town’s Employability and Skills Conference on Wednesday, 9th February at The Speedwell Rooms in Staveley.

The conference will focus on the future skills and green growth agenda and examine the current recruitment challenges that employers face. A selection of local skills providers based in Chesterfield & North Derbyshire will also be showcased in an exhibition at the event.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Home, Manufacturing, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Workpays set to host ‘The Big Assembly’ during National Apprenticeship Week

Workpays’ annual event ‘The Big Assembly’ is set to return again this year, with the broadcast set to inform thousands of young people about the benefits of apprenticeships.

Last year the event was watched live and on-demand by over 60,000 people, with schools, parents, students and employers receiving information and advice about possible next steps in their careers.

This time around, The Big Assembly is teaming up with Pret A Manger, Bakkavor, Disability Rights UK, the Co-operative Bank & Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.

It is produced by Chesterfield-based Workpays in partnership with GetMyFirstJob, ASK & Amazing Apprenticeships.

Alex Glasner, MD at Workpays, said: “The aim of the Big Assembly is simple: inspire the next generation of apprentices. For many school leavers, the broadcast is a starting point to discover what their next steps are after graduation – whether it be employment or further education. The Big Assembly is the jewel in the crown of National Apprenticeship Week!

“With more and more people tuning in each year, we wanted to make the 2022 Big Assembly the BIGGEST one yet, so we’re broadcasting it live from an employer – something that we’ve never done before! ”

The 2022 Big Assembly broadcast is being hosted at Pret A Manger and will be available to watch at bigassembly.org from the 8 February 2022.

It will feature a panel made up of employers, current apprentices, former apprentices, and a representative from the Disabled Apprentice Network.

David Carter, UK People Director of Pret said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting The Big Assembly broadcast this year as we partner with Workpays to hire and inspire the next generation of apprentices.

The Big Assembly is an amazing way to reach thousands and we’re excited to have representation on the panel sharing our apprentices’ success stories and showcasing what ‘a day in the life of an apprentice’ is really like. We can’t wait to help build the future and hope we help those wanting to become an apprentice.”

As well as Q&As and myth busting, there will also be segments showcasing the apprenticeship programmes at Pret, Bakkavor, Disability Rights UK, the Co-operative Bank & Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.

Workpays supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Development, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , , ,

“We all have a role to play in ensuring that Chesterfield is future-proofed”

Destination Chesterfield Chair, Peter Swallow has published his latest blog focusing on the importance of skills and job creation in the town.

2022 certainly kicked off in style (pun intended) with a trip to Chelsea for Chesterfield FC in the FA Cup.

In what was the ultimate David and Goliath match, Chesterfield FC’s players battled bravely to the end and did themselves proud. However, we must not overlook the fans- Thousands of Spireites travelled to Stamford Bridge and their conduct, friendliness, and optimism made them the ultimate ambassadors for the town. I could not have been more proud of Chesterfield on this historic day.

The conduct of players and fans helped raised the profile of our town in a very positive way, not just nationally but internationally with goodwill messages being received from as far afield as Africa and Russia.

At the 80th minute it would have been easier for the players to sit back and prevent more goals. Not our players, they battled on to score a precious goal against the reigning European champions, sending the fans back home with a smile on their face.

Doesn’t this mirror Chesterfield’s response to the pandemic?

Two years, the town could have bunkered down and ridden out the pandemic. Instead, we chose to forge ahead with existing plans and came up with innovative solutions to ensure Chesterfield continued to grow and develop in the face of adversity.

During the pandemic, Chesterfield has attracted more than £30million in government funding to help revitalise the town centre and regenerate Staveley. Most importantly jobs and opportunities will be created for thousands of young people in the borough.

The last two years have been extremely challenging for students and employers, and it has never been more important to work together to ensure Chesterfield has the skills to grow and recover from those challenges.

We’re committed to creating jobs for local people, which is why, with more than 16,000 students in North Derbyshire set to gain their GCSE and A level qualifications in the next five years, it’s important that they are work ready and know about the opportunities – like apprenticeships – available to them when they leave education.

The annual Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Employability & Skills Conference, which this year fell during National Apprenticeship Week – plays a big role in this.

Organised by Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield with support from Derbyshire North Careers Hub, it continues to strengthen links between education providers and local businesses. Apprenticeships, alongside university and college all take equal billing at the conference, recognising the importance each of them plays in ensuring the town has a skilled workforce.

However, let’s not wait for a conference and awareness week to highlight the importance and value of apprenticeships. Make sure young people around you are aware of apprenticeships and the value they bring to their personal and professional development and the town’s prosperity.

We all have a role to play in ensuring that Chesterfield is future-proofed. Having a skilled workforce is key to ensure our town continues to thrive for generations to come.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

New Year Career and Progression Opportunities in Chesterfield

The new year is a perfect excuse for individuals to take on a new challenge and seek opportunities to develop their career.

Whether you are looking to progress in your personal career or an employer looking to develop your workforce, Chesterfield’s training provider network have many opportunities available to you.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships can be a great option to either kickstart a new career or upskill an existing career. Undertaking an apprenticeship means you can gain qualifications whilst getting real life work experience and being paid for it.

Stuart Greensmith White, Programme Development Worker at Derbyshire Adult Community Education Service, is currently completing his Level 7 Senior Leadership apprenticeship.

Stuart Greensmith White

He explains how apprenticeships can be used as a platform to work your way up in your career:

“I began my own career on a level 2 apprenticeship and have worked my way up to the highest level.  Apprenticeships are not only for new entrants to the workplace – they are also a fantastic way for those established in their careers to develop further, or perhaps even make a career change.”

“I am so passionate about apprenticeships as you gain knowledge and skills that not only develop your work performance but also your own personal confidence.  My experience of apprenticeships is that they open doors and provide opportunities – I would encourage all current and potential apprentices to aim high and achieve their goals!”

Nathaniel Hall is part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s communications team and recently completed an apprenticeship. He joined the team in 2018 to complete a digital apprenticeship but has since been promoted to work as a digital communications officer helping to oversee the council’s website and social media platforms.

Nathaniel Hall

Nathaniel said: “I was looking for a career path I was passionate about. I always enjoyed media studies in school and college, so I thought this was the best route for me to go down. The apprenticeship helped me develop lots of new skills and gain a thorough understanding of digital marketing techniques. I was really focused on my learning throughout the apprenticeship and that has helped me to progress in my career.”

Search the current apprenticeship vacancies in Chesterfield here

Find more information and guidance on becoming an apprentice here

Employ an Apprentice

Apprenticeships are available in 170 different industries from hair and beauty to aerospace engineering, apprenticeships have been making an impact on local businesses for hundreds of years.

Superior Wellness

 

Carol Claydon

Carol Claydon, Head of Human Resources at Superior Wellness, explains how taking on an apprentice has benefitted their business:

“We have noticed various business benefits associated with hiring apprenticeships at Superior Wellness. With the level of growth we’ve experienced over the past year, we have needed to adapt training and roles according to the needs of our business. Apprenticeships have been critical to this – the flexibility of an apprenticeship really allows you to shape the roles and skills required, which in return is great for the personal development of the individual.”

Chesterfield Borough Council

The benefits of apprenticeships are wide ranging to the business, and managers at Chesterfield Borough Council often find that they refresh and update their own knowledge while supporting apprentices through the programme. A quality apprenticeship programme adds value to the organisation or business and will provide a well-qualified future work force.

Chesterfield Town Hall

Chris Miley, Learning and Development Officer, at Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “At the council we use the apprenticeship levy in two ways – to both recruit and upskill staff.”

“To recruit new staff; all job vacancies are reviewed to see if they could be offered as an apprenticeship, this is also built into our succession planning with a clear career pathway onto higher level apprenticeships. We have recently recruited for apprenticeships in procurement and HR.”

“In terms of upskilling, the apprenticeship levy enables us to upskill our existing workforce. We currently have colleagues undertaking apprenticeships in Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor, Level 5 Operational Departmental Management, Level 7 Leadership and Management as well as apprenticeships in accountancy, legal and learning and development. All of the council’s vacancies are advertised on our website, as well as being promoted on our social media channels.”


Learn how you can get involved and take on an apprentice here

Find out how you may be able to access apprenticeship funding here

Kickstart Programme

The Kickstart Programme has been helping young unemployed adults develop their skills and get into work in Chesterfield. Over 282 young people have started Kickstart placements in the Chesterfield area, benefitting from a six-month job placement to gain valuable work experience and build their future careers.

Connor Preece, Central Services Administrator at Workpays, shared his experience of the Kickstart Programme.

Connor Preece

He said: “I chose to take part in a Kickstart placement as I knew it would be a great chance for me to gain lots of work experience over 6 months.”

“As I was coming towards the end of my Kickstart placement there was a full-time position available at Workpays and I knew it would be a great opportunity to take. I submitted my cover letter and shortly after attending another interview, I was offered the role of Central Services Administrator and was very excited to start my new role in a full-time position which I now love.”

“Overall, I feel the Kickstart scheme was a huge benefit to me as I was able to get 6 months of work experience and learn while I worked which was very fun. I would also highly recommend the Kickstart scheme to others who are currently looking for a job and may be struggling to do so as they lack the work experience necessary for many jobs. I really hope to see more people take advantage of such an amazing opportunity.”

Find out more about how you can get involved with the Kickstart Programme here

Traineeship

Traineeships are available to young people aged 16 – 25 years, to help prepare them for employment or apprenticeship by providing education and a work experience placement.

Employers can offer a work experience placement to a trainee and work with local training providers to design the programme. For employers there is an incentive of £1000 and they are a good way of working with an individual before taking on as an apprentice.

Find out about Traineeship funding here

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Blog, Manufacturing

Made in Chesterfield praised by businesses, schools and pupils

An impact report has revealed that nearly 200 students from North East Derbyshire’s schools got a hands-on taste of manufacturing and engineering careers during the Made in Chesterfield festival in November last year.

Businesses, teachers and pupils have all praised the Made in Chesterfield initiative.

Nick McGowan, assistant headteacher a teacher at Whittington Green School which visited Woodhead Construction’s enterprise centre site, said: “We’ve been teaching construction in the school for the last 15 years and one thing we have always struggled with is access to site so the visit was absolutely brilliant. The visit opened the student’s horizons to the jobs and opportunities within the construction sector.”

In a review of the month-long annual festival undertaken by Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP) which coordinated Made in Chesterfield in conjunction with Destination Chesterfield, it also found that there was no demand for virtual school visits, indicating that schools are keen to re-engage face-to-face with the business community despite the pandemic.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the borough, said: “The uptake of the physical workplace tours by schools for Made in Chesterfield was very encouraging given the current climate of uncertainty. There is a very real appetite amongst schools to give young people the widest exposure to careers and job opportunities.”

He added: “It is so important that we highlight the local career and job opportunities to young people as they are an intrinsic part of Chesterfield’s growth ambitions.”

Virtual workplace tours were launched last year amidst the pandemic, however with Covid restrictions eased physical workplace tours were reintroduced for 2021.

Pupils from Whittington Green School, Springwell Community College, St Mary’s Catholic High School, The Bolsover School, Shirebrook Academy and Heritage Academy all took part in visits to local engineering and manufacturing businesses, including Aztec Oils, Woodhead Construction, CBE+, Penny Hydraulics, Superior Wellness, Morgan Sindall, Weightron Bilanciai, MSE Hiller and United Cast Bar.

Carol Claydon, Head of HR at Superior Wellness which hosted students from Springwell Community College, said: “The tour organised by Made in Chesterfield was a fantastic opportunity for our business. Our team members thoroughly enjoyed explaining more about the business, their roles and their work experience to the students. It was brilliant to see how inspired the students were and I think it opened their eyes to the various career opportunities within the local area.

“The campaign is a fantastic way to inspire the next generation and hopefully showcase the different sectors and opportunities available within the town of Chesterfield.”

Ben Jones, Project Manager at Weightron Bilanciai which hosted students from Bolsover School added: “Hopefully we have inspired young people to be interested in what they want to do as a career so they can start thinking ahead now to what they should be studying and also whether they want to go to university or follow the apprenticeship route.”

Charlie Goodwin, Projects Officer at DEBP who compiled the report commented: “We are so grateful to the many businesses who got involved with Made in Chesterfield and worked with us to make it a success in 2021. We appreciate that everyone continues to experience challenging times, however the feedback from those who participated has demonstrated the value in providing meaningful insights into the working world and the role this initiative has in inspiring future employees.”

Launched originally in 2013, the annual Made in Chesterfield campaign, has since introduced thousands of young people across North East Derbyshire to the possibility of a career in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) sector.

The hands-on campaign aims to bridge the careers information gap between education and industry by giving schools and pupils access to workplace tours, a range of careers videos and the MyFuture virtual careers fair.

Made in Chesterfield 2021 was made possible thanks to funding and support from The Chesterfield College Group, Chesterfield Borough Council, D2N2 LEP and Careers and Enterprise Company, Derbyshire North Career Hub, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd and NatWest.

Emily Carter, Operational Careers Hub Lead at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership added: “We are ever grateful to our cornerstone employers and local business partners for supporting opportunities such as the Made in Chesterfield open doors programmes, supporting young people’s career awareness and aspirations, again this year despite the challenges still faced by industry.

“D2N2 Careers Hub is excited to fund the expansion of this successful model to bring more open doors programmes to young people across the wider D2N2 region during the rest of the 2021-22 academic year.”

Julie Richards, Principal and Chief Executive of the Chesterfield College Group said: “I am delighted to hear that once again the Made in Chesterfield initiative has been a great success. We are proud to support the programme of activities which take place to connect the future workforce with local employers. It is very encouraging to hear how so many schools and employers benefited. It is critical we excite and educate the next generation to understand the fantastic career opportunities for engineering and manufacturing in Chesterfield to build the workforce for the future and secure local economic growth.”

A number of the businesses involved in the Made in Chesterfield campaign are keen to continue to work with schools throughout the year. If your school would like to arrange a workplace visit, please contact DEBP on 01246 212 535.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , ,

Employability and Skills Conference to address future skills needs of young people to help the area meet its growth ambitions

With thousands of jobs set to be created in the borough as part of the regeneration of Staveley, business leaders and the education community are being urged to address the future employability and skills of young people now at a free conference next month.

Tickets are available now for the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference which is organised by Chesterfield Borough Council and Destination Chesterfield, with support from D2N2 North Derbyshire Careers Hub.

The conference, which returns in person for the first time since Covid hit, is taking place on Wednesday 9 February at Speedwell Rooms in Staveley, between 8:00am – 11:00am.

The annual conference, which is now in its sixth year, aims to strengthen links between education providers and local businesses to ensure that school leavers are work ready and have the skills required by businesses in the area.

This year the Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Employability and Skills Conference will address the future skills and green growth agenda and also examine the current recruitment challenges that employers face.

Speakers at the event will include Ivan Fomin, Chair of Staveley Town Deal and Fiona Baker, Head of People and Skills at D2N2 LEP and Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Deputy Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and Vice Chair of Destination Chesterfield.

Ivan Fomin commented: “The regeneration programme in Staveley is very exciting and has the potential to create thousands of jobs. It’s important that businesses, the council and education and training providers work together to make sure these opportunities are fully realised for local people. The Chesterfield & North Derbyshire Employability & Skills Conference is the first step in making this happen.”

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, deputy leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “I’m proud to be hosting the sixth annual skills and employability conference. This event is important because it helps strengthen the links between business and education, which ensures that young people in our borough can develop the skills local employers need. This year the conference also looks ahead to the skills needed to support green growth in Chesterfield, which is vital to helping meet our climate change commitments. We all need to work together to ensure that young people have a bright future in our borough and that they are developing the skills needed for the future.”

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield added: “We’re delighted to be able to hold the conference in person once again. The last 19 months have been particularly difficult for both education and business. It has never been more important for these sectors to work together to ensure Chesterfield has the right skills to grow and recover from the challenges of Covid.

“There are so many exciting regeneration projects in the town, including Chesterfield Waterside, Northern Gateway and PEAK, and a lot of opportunities for young people. It’s crucial to ensure we nurture local talent and provide the right training to bridge those gaps and enable people and businesses in the borough to thrive.”

A number of local skills providers based in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire will also be showcased in an exhibition at the event.

Places at the free conference are limited. To book your free place at the event, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/events/chesterfield-north-derbyshire-employability-skills-conference/.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

Pupils visit Superior Wellness as part of Made in Chesterfield tours

A group of eight students and two teachers from Springwell Community College visited the Chesterfield-based Superior Wellness headquarters as part of the Made in Chesterfield project.

Made in Chesterfield is a celebration of the manufacturing, engineering, science and technology industries and careers in the town. The campaign looks to inspire the next generation to the industry, with businesses, schools and training providers coming together to showcase the sector.

Made in Chesterfield is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Direct Education Business Partnership and delivered in association with the Chesterfield College Group and with support from Chesterfield Borough Council, North Derbyshire Careers Hub, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd, and Natwest.

As part of the project, Superior Wellness offered the students a tour of the office and warehouse space, with a brief introduction from each department. A representative from each department, including those studying for an apprenticeship, explained their role and the projects they work on.

While visiting Superior Wellness, the students were offered the opportunity to look at one of the many hot tubs Superior Wellness distribute globally and ask any questions regarding the products and the business.

Carol Claydon, Head of HR at Superior Wellness, said: “The tour organised by Made in Chesterfield was a fantastic opportunity for our business. Our team members thoroughly enjoyed explaining more about the business, their roles and their work experience to the students. It was brilliant to see how inspired the students were and I think it opened their eyes to the various career opportunities available within the local area.

“The campaign is a fantastic way to inspire the next generation and hopefully showcase the different sectors and opportunities available within the local town of Chesterfield.”

More than 170 pupils from seven different schools across the Chesterfield have been benefitting from tours at several businesses across the town, including Aztec Oils, Woodhead Construction, Vistry Partnerships, CBE+, Penny Hydraulics, Superior Wellness, Morgan Sindall, Weightron Bilanciai and MSE Hiller.

Superior Wellness supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Home, ManufacturingTagged in , , , , , ,

DBCP makes apprenticeship appointment in technical support team

Former Tibshelf Secondary School pupil, Christian Peat (17) is the latest addition to DBCP’s technical support team.

Christian joins the leading supplier of building control services in Derbyshire and Staffordshire Moorlands, as a Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice.

Having studied Construction and the Built Environment at school, Christian was familiar with building regulations and health and safety which sparked his interest in joining the sector.

Based at DBCP’s Chesterfield office, Christian is now working alongside the technical support team managing inspection requests for the company’s 26-strong team of building control surveyors.

He said: “It’s a really varied role with DBCP which is great. My dad is a quantity surveyor and my mum also used to work in planning, so I have experience through them of those fields. Working in building control is adding to my skillset and helping help me identify what I would like to follow as a career once I finish my apprenticeship.”

Welcoming Christian to the company David Pratt, DBCP’s Building Control Manager said: “I am delighted that Christian has chosen to begin his career journey with DBCP. It is important that companies in the building control sector invest in the training and skills of young people to avoid a future skills shortage.

“Looking ahead to the future, we have started our recruitment process now for two Building Control degree apprentices. It’s vitally important we have trained and qualified building control surveyors for current and future construction and renovation projects across Derbyshire and Staffordshire.”

If you are considering a degree apprenticeship in Building Control ahead of leaving school next year and would like to know more, get in touch with DBCP’s Building Control Manager David Pratt, on 0333 880 2000 or email info@dbcp.co.uk

Find out more about apprenticeships in Chesterfield by visiting our Apprentice Town page.

DBCP supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 180 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Development, Home, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , ,

MyFuture careers platform re-launched for 2021 Chesterfield and North Derbyshire school leavers

Following a hugely successful lockdown launch, the innovative employability and careers platform MyFuture, is here to stay for another year.

Developed by Chesterfield Borough Council, in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and the D2N2 LEP the My Future platform was dreamt up during lockdown when Year 11 and 13 young people were unable to access face-to-face careers information.

The platform, however, has been so successful, with thousands of young people in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire using it to find careers advice and apprenticeships, that funding has been extended for a further 12 months helping bridge the gap ahead of large scale in-person careers events returning. Derbyshire County Council is also supporting the relaunch of the MyFuture platform.

Over the last 12 months, more than 4,000 young people, teachers and parents have accessed the platform.

Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield explained: “MyFuture has been immensely popular since its launch. We were all very keen for it to continue beyond lockdown being lifted and I am delighted that the partners were able to provide funding to enable this. Together we are helping create a strong, skilled workforce which will support the continued inward investment in the town as well as ensure young people gain the best advice and support for their future career development in these challenging times.”

The funding has enabled a refresh of the MyFuture platform by Chesterfield-based creator and designer Oasis Studio. New features within the virtual careers fair include improved search functionality, easier navigation within the exhibition hall, TV screens within the pods which play live videos and immersive sound allowing the user to feel like they are actually attending a live careers fair.

New pods have also been added to MyFuture, including The Tickled Trout, Acorn Training, Edwards Employment Solutions, Superior Wellness, Staveley Town Deal and NLT Training Services. With around 100 pods on the platform, including one featuring The National Careers Service, MyFuture offers young people in the area unparalleled access to careers information.

The pods are set across 11 zones in the virtual careers fair, providing a wealth of information about different sectors, industries, individual businesses, apprentice positions and further education options available across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Councillor Amanda Serjeant, deputy leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “We originally launched MyFuture with our partners to ensure there was good quality careers advice available during the pandemic and we have seen fantastic levels of engagement. It’s proved to be such a successful support tool that we are keeping it in place and making it even better than before. There are new organisations featured on the platform and new features which mean it is more interactive and engaging. I’d encourage any young person thinking about their next steps to take a look at MyFuture for local opportunities and inspiration.”

Will Morlidge, Interim Chief Executive at D2N2 said: “Using innovative technology like MyFuture helps to raise aspirations for young people by bringing to life the opportunities available to them. It’s great to see this resource continuing and developing as bringing together the worlds of work and education is a vital part of our strategy to lead our region’s recovery from the impact of Covid-19.”

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Councillor Alex Dale added: “We are delighted to support the relaunch of MyFuture. The website is a great place for young people to explore different career opportunities, get advice and search for local opportunities including apprenticeships and further education courses.”

Young people, teachers and parents who now want to learn about the many opportunities available to future school leavers, can visit MyFuture at www.myfuture.org.uk.

Employers who wish to have their business featured on the MyFuture platform should contact Emily Williams at Emily.williams@chesterfield.gov.uk

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Destination Chesterfield, Featured, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

School workplace tours make a comeback for Made in Chesterfield

North East Derbyshire’s school pupils are set to get hands-on with engineering and manufacturing careers once again with the Made in Chesterfield campaign which returns in November.

Forced to moving to virtual workplace tours last year amidst the pandemic, schools can once again visit local engineering and manufacturing businesses in person and discover the range of careers and job opportunities on offer to them in the sector.

Launched originally in 2013, the annual Made in Chesterfield campaign, which is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with Direct Education Business Partnership, has since introduced thousands of young people across North East Derbyshire to the possibility of a career in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) sector.

Relaunched for 2021, and free from the constraints imposed last year by the pandemic, Made in Chesterfield is offering workplace tours for schools across 10 local companies operating in the STEM sector.

Aiming to bridge the careers information gap between education and industry, groups of Year 7 – 11 students will be visiting businesses from Monday 8 – Friday 26 November for an educational, interactive learning experience between.

Companies offering workplace tours to schools include CBE+, Superior Wellness, United Cast Bar, Morgan Sindall Group Plc, MSE Hiller, Penny Hydraulics, Aztec Oils, Vistry Partnerships, Weightron Bilanciai and Woodhead Group.

As part of the month-long Made in Chesterfield campaign, schools can also access a range of careers videos to enable young people to experience a number of workplace tours virtually. There is also supporting activities and careers information and apprentice opportunities within the MyFuture virtual careers fair.

Four years ago, Made in Chesterfield introduced Eve Bennett (20) to the sector with a two- week work experience with her now employer MSE Hiller. She has since gone on to complete a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at the company which is one of a number businesses in the sector supporting the campaign.

Eve said: “I still find it shocking that women get frowned upon for going into engineering. It’s a brilliant job and career for anyone. I’ve always wanted to be an engineer for as long as I can remember. I love the job and the company I am working for. I couldn’t see myself doing anything different.”

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield’s board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, commented: “We have been running Made in Chesterfield for eight years and in that time, it has achieved an incredible amount. It works. Two of MSE Hiller’s apprentices are a direct result of the campaign.

“Made in Chesterfield is committed to breaking down preconceived ideas about the sector by young people, their parents and teachers. The world has changed and so has the manufacturing and engineering sector. It offers fantastic skills and training as well as interesting and well paid jobs at every level. Everyone is welcome.”

Dan Heffernan, Careers & Young People Lead at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership said: “In this fast changing world of innovation, technology and ever increasing advancement within industry, never has the phrase “you can’t be what you can’t see” been more appropriate. After the last 18h months of our young people being confined to their screens, it’s more important than ever that they are now given the opportunity to experience real life workplaces and to engage with employees carrying out real life jobs.

“It’s no secret that the pandemic rocked our labour market and sent shockwaves right the way across industry. However, as we now turn the corner our businesses are looking at how they can bounce back and thrive once again, and central to this will be a pipeline of talent ready to enter their workforce. It is therefore vital that our young people are aware of the opportunities open to them, and crucially that they understand what they must do to get there.

“D2N2 LEP and the Careers & Enterprise Company are incredibly proud to be working on this open door initiative in Chesterfield, building on the successes that have been seen in previous years whilst engaging and encouraging even more businesses and schools to take part. It is then our intention to use this model as a framework to roll out to all schools right the way across the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire region through our new Careers Hubs.”

Charlie Goodwn, projects Officer at DEBP commented: “We’re excited to working in partnership with Destination Chesterfield and D2N2 to deliver the Made in Chesterfield event in November for students from Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire schools. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to be inspired by local employers and have their eyes opened to the many career opportunities that are available to them right on their doorstep.”

DEBP has been working with the schools to identify groups of students that would benefit from a visit to a local company. Students identified may have a specific career they would like to learn more about or may just need an opportunity to learn about the careers within their preferred industry.

Charlie added: “We’re looking forward to seeing the impact of this year’s Made in Chesterfield events for the young people and businesses involved.”

Made in Chesterfield 2021 has been made possible thanks to funding and support from The Chesterfield College Group, Chesterfield Borough Council, North Derbyshire Career Hub, D2N2 LEP, Careers and Enterprise Company, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd and Natwest.

To find out more about Made in Chesterfield and discover how your school can get involved with a workplace visit, please visit https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/

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