The Swindon and Wiltshire Careers Hub held a virtual Education Conference on Wednesday 13 January 2021 where the theme, “Developing an Innovative Careers Programme in a Post COVID-19 World” was discussed. Over 80 delegates from secondary schools, colleges, SEND providers, employers and stakeholders took part in this event with delegates hearing from 23 speakers from across the sector. The keynote speakers included:
- Paddy Bradley: Chief Executive, Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership: The impact of COVID19 on youth unemployment.
- Denise Olander: Senior HMI, Ofsted: Careers Education and the Education Inspection Framework.
- Nicola Hall: Director of Education, Careers and Enterprise Company: The importance of an innovative careers programme for young people in a post-COVID19 world.
- Rupert Morton: Headteacher, and Louise Stanton: Career Leader, Malmesbury School: Making careers education a whole school responsibility.
- Kris Talikowski: The Core and Board Member Switch on to Swindon: Why an effective careers strategy and programme is essential to prepare students for the world of work and the post-COVID-19 employment landscape.
Delegates also participated in a range of workshops examining each of the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks, a framework of good practice in careers education. Speakers at the workshops included Careers Leaders from Avon Valley School: Durrington, Swindon Academy, Devizes School, St Joseph’s Catholic College: Swindon, St John’s: Marlborough as well as colleagues from schools in West Sussex. Alongside were speakers from Study Higher and Wessex Inspiration Network from the Uni Connect programme, Enterprise Adviser volunteers from Wiltshire Council, DSTL and Jacobs, representatives from the ASK Project, Career Pilot, Swindon Borough Council and Great Western Hospital.
This virtual conference provided an opportunity for education teams from across the area to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on young people’s career development, discuss opportunities and challenges around preparing these young people for the world of work and identify how they can provide effective careers programmes for this cohort during this period of change as a result of the pandemic.
For further information on the Swindon and Wiltshire Careers Hub please contact:
Swindon and Wiltshire Careers Hub Lead: Shona Taylor
Tel: 07464 529784
Email: Shona Taylor, Careers Hub Lead
Website: Careers Hub
