Bucks Skills Hub’s third annual headteacher conference, which brings together school leaders, careers leads and industry sector leaders from across the country, this year went virtual.
Held earlier this month with the aim of exploring career options and opportunities to help get students back on track after lockdown, the annual conference welcomed 87 headteachers, senior leaders, careers leaders, enterprise advisers and cornerstone employers, including special guests Professor Sir John Holman, creator of the Gatsby Benchmarks; Nicola Hall, Director of Education at the Careers & Enterprise Company; and Professor Gavin Brooks, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Buckinghamshire New University and Chair of the Buckinghamshire Skills Advisory Panel.
Marina Jackson, Under 19 Skills Manager & Careers Hub Lead, Buckinghamshire Skills Hub, said:
“Thank you to all our speakers who contributed to an inspiring and informative event. It was great to hear such enthusiasm about our young people's futures and determination for high-quality careers inspiration.”
The conference speakers provided information and ideas to support and address the challenges that are facing schools and students during the next academic year, to ensure they continue to receive gold-standard career advice and guidance, within the Gatsby framework, which is paramount to assist the UK to recover from the Covid pandemic during the next decade.
Jo Meloni, Headteacher, The Misbourne, said:
“You would think that opportunities to engage over 80 Headteachers, cornerstone employers, careers leaders and enterprise advisors all in one space might be impossible during a global pandemic but not for the Buckinghamshire Skills Hub.
“Such is the value of careers education for our young people, that this was not only achieved last week but we were joined by the author of the Gatsby Foundation’s Good Career Guidance report, Professor Sir John Holman and the Careers and Enterprise Company Director of Education, Nicola Hall. Now more than ever, young people need our support and guidance to ensure they have the skills, understanding and ambition to chase their dreams and lead happy and successful lives and thanks to the Buckinghamshire Skills Hub, we are working together, stronger than ever, to help make this happen.”
June Wilkinson, BAM Construction, said:
“It is important that we continue to provide careers education to our young people at this time. We must learn how to adapt and change the way that we engage with young people to ensure that they have the skills and information that they need to enter the workplace post Covid-19.”