Partner Article

A-grades for business

Businesses across Tyneside have been rewarded for their work encouraging young people to build employability skills.

More than 50 employers, including Starbucks, Collectables, KPMG, John Lewis, Deloitte and Proctor & Gamble, were recognised for their contribution to Newcastle Education Business Partnership (EBP) projects at the organisation’s inaugural Employer Awards at St James’ Park.

The public sector was also represented, with employers such as the Freeman Hospital and Newcastle City Council gathering awards.

Newcastle EBP chief executive Gillian Bulman said: “Hundreds of young people benefit from our innovative projects, gaining new skills which may help them to find a great career. The businesses we work with benefit from staff development and a stronger influence on skills generation in the curriculum. It’s a mutually beneficial link which our partner businesses value enormously.

“Following our most successful year to date, we decided to put on an awards ceremony with nominations in eight different categories for employers which had helped most this academic year.”

Employers working with Newcastle EBP can influence the curriculum by delivering interactive sessions in schools about their industry, setting business challenges for students and hosting work-based placements.

Gillian Bulman said: “There are a variety of ways for employers to lend their expertise and influence the curriculum, from delivering interactive sessions in schools about their industry, to setting business challenges for students, to hosting young people on work-based placements which enhance their employability skills.”

With Newcastle EBP keen to attract more business professionals, each attendee at the awards ceremony was invited to bring a business associate along to allow them an insight into the many different ways employers can support young people and the future workforce of the region.

For more information see www.newcastle-ebp.org.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .