Creating work opportunities for school leavers

Harborough District Council invited businesses and other key organisations to its Council Chamber on 6 March 2019 to look at how businesses, organisations and schools can work together to provide opportunities for school leavers to get them ready for work.

Businesses heard how they are eligible for grants of £750 to help them take on apprentices and how Harborough District Council is working with the Leicestershire Education Business Company (LEBC) to fund 50 work experience placements in the district this year.

At the event, Barbara Chantrill from LEBC talked about how people can do an apprenticeship whilst studying for a degree giving people work-based skills whilst learning to reduce the likelihood of student debt.

The huge benefits which apprenticeships can bring for the apprentice and for the business taking them on was also shared with attendees, as well as future opportunities for school leavers to do 'T Levels' which are qualifications developed with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work.

Cllr Neil Bannister, Leader of Harborough District Council, said: “We held this event because we had been told by larger businesses that they wanted to know more about how to engage with schools and colleges with a view to taking on apprentices and work placements.   I’d like to thank all those people who attended, or spoke at the event to share their advice and experiences of how we can all work together to create more opportunities to find young people work in the Harborough district.”