Lakes College teams up with Inspira

Over the last few months our teams on the West coast have been kept busy preparing and delivering courses for Fast Lane and Fast Lane Plus. Feedback from both staff and participants has been positive and staff are now working on preparing for their next challenge – Route Finder.

In May the team were commissioned by Lakes College to deliver student sessions designed to raise their awareness of progression routes. 97% of students identified on their evaluations that they ‘were more aware of the opportunities available after their college course’.  Staff are now following up those students who had no definite ideas about their next steps to ensure that they make a successful transition.

The West’s World of Work and Work Ready programmes have become a regular feature in the calendars of many local schools, with Whitehaven Academy, West Lakes Academy and Beacon Hill participating over the last couple of months and Workington Academy with a date in the diary for the end of term.

Negotiations with schools are currently taking place to ascertain what additional services they want to buy in next year. As part of these discussions, the West has been co-ordinating requests for the Employer Engagement programme funded by Sellafield.

Later this month the team will hold their annual Jobs in the Community event. Aimed at Year 6
pupils across Allerdale and Copeland, this event hopes to provide young people with a deeper insight into the world of work.

Amongst all of this, there have been a couple of additions made to the team. In April, two new Skills & Development Advisors were recruited who are already making a big impact in the office; Rachel Hannah and Alison Beard.