South Gloucestershire Council

Published: 21/10/2014

More than 5,000 students from secondary schools and academies in South Gloucestershire are attending this year’s Ambitions event.

An open session runs until 8pm tonight where young people and their parents can talk to 120 contributors ranging from local and national employers and staff from colleges and universities who are on hand to guide students through their future options.

Ambitions Careers event is one of the largest events of its kind in the South West aimed at Year 9 secondary school students in South Gloucestershire. They can find out more about the links between school and work to help make effective decisions about their future choices in education and employment. It is organised by South Gloucestershire Council, the Kingswood Partnership consortium of schools and academies, South Gloucestershire & Stroud College and the University of the West of England where the event takes place at the Conference Centre (BS34 8QZ).

Earlier today Chairman of South Gloucestershire Council Cllr Howard Gawler and the council’s Chief Executive Amanda Deeks paid a visit to the event and met some of the enthusiastic students eager to learn new skills. Cllr Howard Gawler, said: “Equipping our young people with the right skills and knowledge is essential if they are to compete for a job in the many cutting edge industries which have a base in South Gloucestershire. This event puts secondary school students in touch with major employers, colleges and universities which can help them make those all-important choices over what career they might excel at in the future.”

Ambitions returns for a second day tomorrow featuring the Skills Show Experience which is designed to promote skills and the vocational education route available to young people. Practical have-a-go activities such as film making and bridge building to demonstrating their cookery skills will give young people a bite-size taster of a skill, trade or profession. The aim is to help ignite their passion for learning while providing an insight into different types of jobs on offer from an extensive range of employment sectors.

The Skills Show Experience forms part of the European Social Fund Technical Assistance project, awarded to the Skills Funding Agency to promote the European Social Fund. In addition, the programme is co-funded by the Skills Funding Agency to deliver the National Careers Service at the events.

Working in partnership with The Skills Show premier sponsors City & Guilds, the Edge Foundation and Premier Colleges, the Skills Show Experience provides young people with opportunities to discover what they are good at and what they enjoy, through interactive activities and experiences helping shape their futures and transform their lives.

For further details and to find a full list of contributors visit www.kingswoodpartnership.org.uk