Thousands of young people from South Gloucestershire will be gathering at the University of the West of England over the next two days (19th to 20th October) for the one of the region’s biggest careers events.
Ambitions 2011 is a unique annual event that brings together young people aged 14-19 years with local training providers and employers from the public, private, voluntary and academic sectors.
Organised by the Kingswood and Concorde Partnerships of local schools and FE colleges, with the support of South Gloucestershire Council and the University of West of England, the event gives young people a unique chance to explore the career options open to them and gather first-hand insights into the world of work through contact with more than 100 employers.
More than 2,500 young people have already signed up for daytime career workshops, in 34 areas of employment ranging from animal care to transport and broadcasting to retail.
The two-day event also features a Careers Guidance Centre and dedicated evening sessions in which young people and their parents can meet and talk with local training and education providers and employers including Airbus UK, the BBC and Wessex Water.
South Gloucestershire Council Executive Councillor for Children and Young People Sheila Cook said:
“South Gloucestershire Council is committed to working with our partners to give our young people the best possible start in life, with high quality education, training and careers advice that equips them with the skills they need to move on into the world of work.”
“We are delighted to support Ambitions, which provides an invaluable guide through the training and careers maze with a rare opportunity for first-hand advice and insight from local employers.”
“I hope that this year’s attendees enjoy the event and wish them well in their future careers.”
This is the fourth Ambitions event to be held in South Gloucestershire and many previous participants have made valuable contacts at the events.
They include 15-year-old Marlwood School pupil Georgia Fround, who met local design company Platform 1 Design at Ambitions 2009. Georgia so impressed the company with her enthusiasm for graphic design that she was invited to undertake work experience with them and has since set her heart on a career in a creative industry.
Georgia said:
“Ambitions was a brilliant way of finding out more about my career choices and discussing the kind of skills and abilities that employers were looking for.”
“In my case I was lucky enough to meet Platform 1 Design and later went on to do a week’s work experience with the company where I learned all about how a design company works and the sort of jobs that are available.”
“It really inspired me to follow a career in design and I’m now looking into the courses that can get me going in my career.”
The Concorde Partnership is a growing collaboration between nine schools and Filton College in the West of South Gloucestershire. It includes:
- Patchway Community College
- New Siblands School
- Marlwood School
- Filton College
- Chipping Sodbury School
- Brimsham Green School
- Bradley Stoke Community School
- Abbeywood Community School
- The Castle School
The Kingswood Partnership is a well-established consortium of six secondary schools on the south-eastern side of South Gloucestershire and City of Bristol College. It includes:
- Downend School
- The Grange School & Sports College
- Hanham High School
- Mangotsfield School
- The Sir Bernard Lovell School
- City of Bristol College
Source: South Gloucestershire Council
