Member Article

North East business mentors encouraged to take ambassadorial roles in solving skills problem

Government-backed Careers and Enterprise Company has contracted Sunderland-based business consultancy RTC North with delivering a skills-enhancement programme to youngsters across the region.

The employer mentoring programme focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects, and builds on the STEM Ambassador contract which RTC North has been leading for 11 years in County Durham and Tees Valley.

RTC is now developing the STEM Ambassador Hub North East by bringing in business people to encourage and inspire students.

1200 ambassadors from local businesses are on board to work with primary and secondary schools and further education colleges to boost students’ interest and involvement with the working world.

For the employer mentoring programme RTC aims to add 200 more ambassadors, and is calling for businesspeople to take part and help to inspire the next generation.

Jamie Ollivere, Director of RTC North said: “Skills and talent retention are hugely important to the region’s economic health. Ambassadors will have a direct impact on the people who could make a difference to the North East’s future.

“We’re working closely with our partners to help drive growth through these major programmes which will involve many thousands of local students benefitting from business experience.

“The STEM ambassador hub and employer mentoring programmes put in place the framework to stimulate positive results for each person taking part, and offer students the aspiration and drive to gain the skills which will offer them a better future.

“Substantive outcomes will only happen when schools, colleges, businesses and our partners interlink cohesively. Then the influence of the STEM programmes and employer mentoring will add up to create a real regional impact.”

RTC is working with partners including the Science Learning Partnerships, North East Local Enterprise Partnership, Tees Valley Unlimited, Computing at Schools and Maths Hubs to drive forward the employer mentoring programme through its ambassadors working with students.

Michelle Rainbow, skills for business manager at the North East LEP added: “It’s clear that we need to think and act locally to create and strengthen a workforce with skills clearly linked to the North East economy and its key sectors.

“The employer mentoring and STEM ambassador hub programme led by RTC North places an emphasis on the role of employers in skills provision.

“With these major programmes we now have key players across the region working closely together to help to drive growth through the capabilities of highly skilled people, trained and working in the North East.”