More than one hundred Year 9 students from five schools in the borough explored career paths through employer-led workshops at the first ever Solihull Future Ready Day earlier this month.
Organised by Solihull Careers Hub, the event took place at Solihull College & University Centre’s Woodlands Campus and aimed to connect young people with employers through interactive activities. It was designed to help students gain a better understanding of different career paths before undertaking work experience placements in Year 10.
Student took part in a range of sector-focused workshops delivered by employers including Aston Villa Foundation, Graham, VINCI Building, Birmingham Hospice, Meriden Adventure Playground and Balfour Beatty VINCI. They also attended skills taster sessions led by the college, giving them the opportunity for hands-on activities such as hairdressing, plastering, health and social care.
Harry Whale, Technical Apprentice at VINCI Building, said: “The students were really engaged, and I think they’ve got a lot out of the workshop. We’ve introduced them to roles in the construction industry that they may not have known about before today, such as project management, quality surveying and planning. Events like this give young people a better understanding of the day-to-day realities of working on a construction site. Hopefully, it will help them plan their future careers.”
Councillor Heather Delaney, Solihull Council's Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economy, Business and Skills, said: “It was wonderful to see how engaged the students were at the workshops. Events like this are valuable not only for young people, who gain insight into different careers and industries, but also for employers, who have the opportunity to learn more about their future workforce. I would like to thank all the schools and employers who helped make this event such a success.
“This event is just the beginning of our support for young people this summer. Our Employment and Skills Team will be delivering a series of workshops to help young people understand the different pathways available after GCSE’s, as well as the support available to them to help them take their best next steps. I would encourage everyone aged 16 or over to sign up and find out more.”
Find out more about the summer workshops from this flyer.
Editor notes:
- Solihull Careers Hub is funded by The Careers and Enterprise Company and Solihull Council.