Businesses urged to commit time to mentoring

Businesses across the Marches are being encouraged to find out more about supporting young people and schools as National Mentoring Day approaches on October 27.
Speaking on behalf of the Marches LEP, Professor Ian Oakes who chairs the Marches’ Skills Board, comments:
“The benefits that can be achieved through schools and businesses working together can be immense. Access to expert guidance from those in industry, business and the professions provides our young people with greater insight and knowledge on which they can base future career decisions and develop the necessary workplace skills to succeed.”
A year ago, the launch of the Career & Enterprise Company’s “Enterprise Adviser Network” in Telford was announced. Aimed at helping students and their schools to engage with people from their local business community, the programme has since focused on building links that support the creation of robust careers and enterprise plans within schools and the opening up of future career options for students.
Since its launch, the CEC programme has gone from strength to strength and is now being rolled out across the whole Marches’ region. Professor Oakes continues:
“Advice and guidance on future careers can be significantly enhanced when young people can connect directly with someone with real business experience.
“The impact that volunteer business advisers across the Marches have already had on young people cannot be underestimated but further support is always needed to ensure as many are reached as possible.
“National Mentoring Day is a timely reminder to businesses that they can have real input on how young people access the right careers advice at the right time and I’d encourage all businesses, regardless of size or sector, to consider how they might support this and help their own future workforces.”
Anyone interested in finding out how they can get involved in mentoring across the Marches should contact Aggie Caesar-Homden, Skills Project Manager at the Marches LEP. 01743 462 026 / Aggie.Caesar.Homden@marcheslep.org.uk