Are you a business leader who could inspire the business leaders of tomorrow?

Shelley Robinson, enterprise co-ordinator in Shropshire Council’s economic growth team, is seeking help from businesses across Shropshire.

Shelley’s role focuses on recruiting senior figures within the local business community to be matched with schools and colleges across the county. These volunteer ‘Enterprise Advisers’ help schools and colleges to improve their business engagement.

Their support can vary from advising on how to improve the employability of students, to opening up their network of contacts and bringing their business expertise and experience into the learning environment to complement and support the school or college’s careers guidance programmes. Shelley’s role is part of a national programme supported by the Careers and Enterprise Company.

The Marches School in Oswestry has fully embraced this concept by featuring a series of business speakers in morning assemblies and organising a medical careers morning for Year 10 students from both the Marches School and Sir John Talbot’s School (part of the Marches Academy Trust). Students chose from a range of sessions facilitated by speakers from the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital, Powys NHS and STEM Learning, representing nursing, medicine and physiotherapy.

Activities included an Army medic showing how to evacuate a casualty from the battlefield, and a surgeon demonstrating how he and his colleagues practise keyhole surgery using a light box and camera.

A further day is planned at the end of June, where multiple employers will be involved in a speed-networking event.

Shelley is confident that this initiative makes a real difference to the lives of young people:

“In this session the students learned about the myths and realities of these careers and the routes and qualifications needed to get into them. We know that by increasing the number of encounters young people have with employers, they are 86% more likely to continue into education, employment or training on leaving school, and will earn up to 18% more during the course of their career.”

Andy Coleyshaw, who runs a number of businesses in Shropshire, was one of the first Enterprise Advisors to be recruited by Shelley, and supports Grove School in Market Drayton:

“I got involved as I believe we all need to pull together to give our emerging students, our future leaders, entrepreneurs and workforce the best possible experience and exposure to the working environment to allow them the opportunity to develop and make considered decisions about their future.”

Nic Laurens, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth, said:

“This initiative is fantastic. I’d like to thank the businesses who have already dedicated their time to sharing their skills, and would encourage others to do the same.

“It’s really important that we invest in our young people and give them lots of reasons to stay and work in our beautiful county.”

Any businesses interested in providing volunteer Enterprise Advisors, or wishing to take part in careers events in schools and colleges, should contact Shelley Robinson on 07990 086210 / 01743 254726 or shelley.robinson@shropshire.gov.uk.

Further information

The Careers & Enterprise Company is a social enterprise formed in 2015. https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/

It exists to prepare and inspire young people for the fast-changing world of work by creating career opportunities and connections to potential employers. They have built a national network to connect schools and colleges, employers and career programme providers.

Shelley Robinson in the co-ordinator for Shropshire, working on the ground with schools, colleges and businesses.