FIRST BESPOKE INDUSTRY FESTIVALS ARE GREAT SUCCESS

Fenestration, Glass and Glazing – 50 Careers in one day

Building Our Skills - Making Fenestration, Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice reports an excellent level of support for its two pilot bespoke industry careers festivals held last week.

“We’re so grateful to everyone who backed this new initiative,” says Mark Handley, Building Our Skills’ Partnerships Manager. He adds:

“In the end, we had over thirty companies take part on each day and just under 700 students visit. It’s been wonderful to see the industry take up the cause of attracting new talent. We’re hoping that these two events will be the first of many.

“Employability skills clinics played a part in enticing schools and students to the festivals, with local authorities having highlighted just how helpful these clinics were going to be in getting students to think about their careers generally, and the fenestration, glass and glazing industry specifically.

“‘Career Families’ were another face of the careers festivals that helped students understand the many career options open to them as they get closer to the world of work.”

The eleven ‘families’ together encompass over 100 individual roles, demonstrating career progression opportunities, training, qualifications and how students can start out on their career journeys in the industry.

It is expected that the events will now expand into additional areas of the country where Building Our Skills is already working with other local education authorities.

The two pilot events were held last week as part of National Careers Week.  The first was in South Yorkshire at the Oakwell Stadium, home of Barnsley FC, and the second in Manchester at the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City Football Club. Building Our Skills worked in conjunction with the education bodies in South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester to bring these events to fruition.