Following the successful pilot of the first wave of Careers Hubs launched by the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) last year, Oxfordshire was announced as one of 20 new Careers Hubs.
Building on success detailed in the recent report from the Careers & Enterprise Company, ‘Careers Hubs: One Year On’, Oxfordshire Careers Hub sees 24 local schools - including special educational needs schools and a pupil referral unit - working together with universities, training providers, businesses and career professionals.
Sally Andreou, Skills Hub Manager, said: “Becoming a Careers Hub brings exciting new opportunities to our schools and businesses. It will enable us to further develop links between employers and educators and contribute to the body of evidence around the success of working collaboratively to achieve the Gatsby Benchmarks.”
Employers are vital to the hub model’s success, with all hubs required to demonstrate strong engagement amongst local businesses and a clear plan for increasing employer engagement.
More than 100 ‘Cornerstone Employers’ across the country have committed to driving and championing all-important connections to the world of work. They work with a specific hub and underwrite careers provision in that area. Cornerstone Employers in Oxfordshire include Value Retail (Bicester Village), Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UV Integration and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Oxfordshire Careers Hub was launched by the OxLEP Skills Team at an event at UKAEA last month, attended by employers, educators and the CEC. Attendees heard about plans for Oxfordshire Careers Hub from Careers Hub Manager Sue Lawson. Marina Jackson, Careers Hub Lead at Bucks Skills Hub, shared experiences and learning from Buckinghamshire as one of the early Careers Hubs.
David Martin, Chief Operating Officer at UKAEA said: “The Careers Hub is an essential element of the whole skills ecosystem in Oxfordshire. The advice and guidance given to young people entering the job market will enable them to make informed choices as well as providing a common platform that will connect businesses directly with schools making efficient use of organisations' outreach investments.”
Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) were invited to lead bids to establish Careers Hubs, with the applications judged on levels of need in an area and capacity to deliver. All bids were moderated by independent assessors.
