Headlands School has launched its very own window on the world of work, thanks to a grant from the Bridlington Renaissance Partnership, which secured funds from the national Coastal Communities Team initiative.
Students can use new touch-screen technology in the school to find out more about career pathways, local opportunities for employment and training and how local employers are looking to bolster their workforce for the future.
The students did their own survey within school to get views from fellow pupils about how they currently receive careers information, advice and guidance and how that might change in the future. One of the suggestions, with clear support, was for students to be able to access information directly using touch screens.
At the same time, the renaissance partnership was looking for a project to support with a grant for its work as the Coastal Community Team for Bridlington. Their aim was to support a project that would help to improve the local economy.
Working with Andy Levitt, careers education manager at Headlands School, the project has now become a reality and the students are looking into the future for their careers information, using the new touch-screens.
David Stamper, director of community at Headlands School, said:
“We are passionate about giving all of our students’ high-quality and wide-ranging careers advice and guidance to help them make informed choices about their futures. These screens are a great resource and certainly complement the work we do in our excellent sixth form and go hand-in-hand with the positive links we have with local and national colleges and employers.
“We have forged very successful partnerships with the community and are always on the look out to widen the opportunities and increase the aspirations of our students. Please contact us if you would like look at how Headlands School could work with you, including using the screens to advertise for vacancies.”
Andrew Warner, chairman of Bridlington Renaissance Partnership, said:
“We are pleased that Headlands School has been able to develop this project and students now have careers information at their fingertips. We will continue to work with local businesses, through Bridlington Business Forum, to develop the content so that we can raise aspirations and ambitions for young people and enable them to find out more about opportunities in the local area.”
“The project also aims to help them make choices to develop the right skills to meet the needs of our local employers and improve local recruitment prospects.”
Councillor Jane Evison, cabinet portfolio holder for economic investment and tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said:
“This is a great example of the local business community working with the school to highlight opportunities in the local area.
“As well as next steps for studies and training, the screens give a wide range of information about local jobs and investments, including Green Port Hull, offshore renewable energy industries, Bridlington’s regeneration and new developments in Scarborough.”
“This project will help young people to realise what is happening on their doorstep and how that might affect their decisions while they are still at school. It’s also great to see the ideas coming from the students being put into practice.”
The next meeting of Bridlington Business Forum will be on Tuesday, 7 February, where more information about the project will be available.
If you are a local business and would like to make links with the project, contact Bridlington Renaissance Office at Bridlington Town Hall on (01482) 391708.
