South East: Thames Valley Berkshire LEP secures £100,000 to strengthen links between business and education

Thames Valley Berkshire LEP has been successful in its application for funding to join the national roll-out of Enterprise Advisers programme, led by government’s Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC). The programme will see the recruitment of more business volunteers to advise schools’ senior leadership teams, with the aim to better equip young people with the skills needed to join the workforce.

This programme is a key element to the LEP’s ‘Berkshire Future Talent’ project. Following an invitation to quote on September 15, Learning to Work has been selected to provide the first phase of the project: a study to map employer engagement across Thames Valley Berkshire schools and provide baseline data for an Enterprise Adviser network.

Robin Barnes, Berkshire Future Talent project sponsor, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to link Berkshire schools and young people with experienced business leaders located in the area, who are willing to share their knowledge and skills. There is currently a disparity between the educational choices that young people are making and where the jobs vacancies exist now and will exist in the future. This programme is essential if we are to prepare our young people for the future labour market and ensure schools have the networks of support to get pupils work ready.”

Claudia Harris, chief executive of The Careers & Enterprise Company, commented: “Our role is to shine a light on the many excellent schemes that exist today, fill gaps and improve coverage. The Enterprise Adviser network will allow us to do this, helping schools connect more smoothly to the many excellent employer-engagement schemes that already exist and increasing engagement where today it is limited.”

For further information on the Enterprise Adviser network, contact Abby Lacey at: abby@thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk