Preparing young people for the world of work has taken a new direction with the launch of Dorset Careers Hub.

More than 85 people from the education and employment worlds attended the launch at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy.

Dorset Careers Hub is the first of its kind in the region.

It’s an initiative involving Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (Dorset LEP), The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), BCP Council and Dorset Council.

The primary aim is to improve careers support for young people across Dorset, through a relentless focus on best practice.

In September 2018, CEC established 20 careers hubs across England.

So far, the initiative has been declared a success with schools and colleges in the first wave already outperforming the national averages for careers education.

Dorset Careers Hub is part of a second wave of careers hubs this academic year, backed by a £2.5m CEC investment.

Dorset LEP will manage the CEC programme in Dorset.

Lorna Carver, Director of Dorset LEP, said: “Good careers education is fundamental to ensure young people are equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to navigate their future, make the best of their talents and achieve their full potential.

“The Dorset Careers Hub will bring together schools, colleges, universities and employers to work together to prepare our future workforce for careers filled with satisfaction.”

Dorset Careers Hub comprises 40 local schools and colleges working together with universities (Bournemouth University, Arts University Bournemouth, AECC University College and Southern Universities Network) as well as training providers, career professionals and employers across Dorset.

It will be managed by a full time hub lead based at Dorset LEP’s offices and will work with a team of enterprise advisers and a new dedicated enterprise coordinator for Weymouth and Portland focusing on careers support for Dorset’s most deprived area.

Dorset schools and colleges will have:

• Access to support and funding, including staff to help coordinate activity and build networks
• A central fund to support employer engagement activities
• Training for careers leaders in schools and colleges.

Helen Stevenson, Dorset Careers Hub Lead, said: “Our hub is made up of 40 local schools and colleges split into geographical clusters.

“Our aim is to support careers leaders to form communities of practice, share examples of excellence and collaborate to ensure greater consistency and depth in the quality of careers education.”

Cornerstone employers are a key part of the careers hubs.

Their role is to leverage their supply chains and networks to accelerate the work of Dorset Careers Hub.

More than 100 cornerstone employers across the country have committed to driving and championing all-important connections to the world of work.

Already seven have committed to underwriting careers provision in Dorset.

They are: ASM SMT Solutions, Dorset Council, JP Morgan, Marriott Hotels, NHS Dorset, Redweb and Superior Seals.