If you are an employer in Central Bedfordshire and are concerned about skills shortages and attracting the right young people to ensure you future business growth, then there is a project that may be able to help.

A programme designed to create strong links between businesses and schools and to help young people achieve their career potential is now well established across the region.

The Careers and Enterprise Company programme, which is a national initiative, is being managed locally by the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP). It aims to give 11 to 19-year-olds an understanding of growth business sectors, so these young people can make the most of opportunities within the labour market, develop relevant skills and choose appropriate qualifications.

In Central Bedfordshire, 14 schools are participating in the programme and SEMLEP are introducing high calibre business volunteers to these schools to represent their industry sectors and expand engagement between students and employers. These volunteers are called Enterprise Advisers and they work closely with the schools to make sure that young people understand the career opportunities available in the region and the skills employers require.

SEMLEP’s local Enterprise Coordinator, Peter Rayner, explained: “Our fast-changing and growing economy brings many opportunities, however young people are not always in a position to take advantage of them. Many employers find it hard to recruit a workforce with the right skills and attitudes, resulting in quality and high value jobs going unfilled. For this reason we are delighted to be developing this Enterprise Adviser Network, to inspire and prepare young people for work and help address our skills gap.”

More volunteer business people are required to support schools in Central Bedfordshire. Becoming part of the network will allow you to influence the direction of young people, increase awareness of your company and your industry sector in schools and be able to access a talent pipeline for the future. If you are interested please contact Peter Rayner on 07568 428159 or email peter.rayner@semlep.com