Appendix A Section A: background information Proposed name of Hub Humber Careers Hub LEP area (s) participating Humber LEP Combined Authority participating if applicable Name of person submitting this bid Teresa Chalmers Job title Exec Director Employment and Skills Organis ation Humber LEP Email address [email protected] Phone N umber 01482 485266 Accountable body for the Hub Hull City Council If invited to interview, please list up to four 1. Peter Harrison ( Humber LEP) people who would attend to represent the bid 2. Jo Woodhouse (DRET Academy) 3. Jen Vincent (Enterprise Coordinator) 4. Steve Tomlinson (Hull City Council ) Section B – Written Application Strength of leadership and plan: Clear governance for the programme The Humber LEP works in close partnership with the four Local Authorities based in the Humber area to deliver an ambitious but achievable Employment and Skills Strategy . The Strategy is directed and monitored via the LEP Employment and Skills Board , (ESB), which reports to the main LEP Board on a bi-monthly basis. The Humber LEP has consistently recognised the need for high quality, impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) since the original yearlong research work which culminated in the publication of the Humber Skills Commission . Chaired by local MP and former college principal, Nick Dakin, the Commission stated that “The Humber ESB should lead CEIAG/Labour market intelligence across the Humber to ensure close involvement of business and providers ”. This resulted in the setting up of the Employment and Skills Board and the production of the Employment and Skills Strategy. The ESB recognises this significant opportunity to build on considerable current strengths in using the Careers Hub as the central point of access/knowledge for all activities. This will bring together each strand of work to create a compelling and robust virtual core which will be the focal point of several years’ collaborative work. Humber Careers Hub Vision The Humber Careers Hub recognises the challenges schools face in meeting all Gatsby Benchmarks and will provide an expert service using a collaborative approach, a strong network of partners and the sharing of good practice across the region. This will ensure that the region’s young people receive high quality, impartial advice and support when making informed choices of career pathways. Strategic Aims: • The Hub will develop a strong network of partners to support the vision and build on existing networks of key stakeholders who will contribute to the careers landscape. An effective collaborative approach will drive success. • The Hub will provide specialist support and be a central knowledge repository, enabling schools to access a consultancy service, delivered by a highly experienced Hub leader and the existing Enterprise Coordinators. • The Hub will develop a number of strategies to ensure best practice in careers activity is shared and celebrated across the region. This will include the publication of a Humber best 23 Appendix A practice careers guide to build on the future developments to support the longevity of careers provision. This whole approach will build on the LEPs successful delivery of outcomes and enable the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to demonstrate strong evidence of progress in the region. This ambitious and achievable Hub growth plan (Appendix 2), backed by substantial evidence demonstrated in this bid, will further drive CEIAG in the Humber, eventually providing all young people with positive career pathways. To monitor and evaluate the delivery of the Employment and Skills Strategy the ESB receives reports three times per year on progress via a detailed Implementation Plan (Password required ‘FriMar10’). This plan covers all aspects of delivery and impact of the LEP seven key skills priorities including priority four which states the need to: “Improve the quality, accessibility and dissemination of labour market information and careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG), empowering employers and local people to make informed choices .” The ESB membership has representation from employers, colleges, independent training providers, local authorities, schools and appropriate agencies in addition to business membership organisations (Appendix 3). A range of ESB board members lead on differing aspects of the implementation plan, and in this case Andy Crossland, (CEO Humber Learning Consortium,) is the lead for the LEP CEIAG and Employability Working Group that deliver the key activities required. Andy reports on progress and the work is closely scrutinised by board members via a detailed implementation plan that includes all skills related activities. This arrangement ensures the employer voice is considered in all skills related activities, often acting as a catalyst for further research leading to interventions such as the Employability Skills Passport Framework . In respect of the careers Hub, Andy will be the named ESB member who will report on all activities. The accountability of the delivery, timeliness and accuracy of performance management will remain with the two LEP exec members, Teresa Chalmers and Peter Harrison with further support from the two Local Authority ESB members, Steve Tomlinson and Karen Linton. The main LEP Board (link to membership ) receives a quarterly progress report on the entire employment and skills implementation plan ( March 2018 report ) and is very interested and supportive of the careers focus. The work in support of the CEC is reported to the boards via these two mechanisms, for example in the May 2018 ESB a paper on the work of the two Enterprise Coordinators (ECs) featured in discussions. The ESB fully endorsed the submission of this bid, recognising it as next steps on a clear pathway to improving opportunities for all young people in the region, and understanding the impact already created by the CEC in Humber. The LEP holds regular quarterly meetings with the CEC regional lead Karleen Dowden, the four Local Authorities and the two Enterprise Coordinators (ECs) to discuss progress and agree new areas of work. This ensures the alignment of all actions with shared joint responsibility and support. This meeting reviews processes, timelines and outputs, sharing ideas for growth and development of the EAN. The LEP can demonstrate a positive track record of submitting claims and records to the CEC. A Humber Enterprise Advisor Network (EAN) has been established meeting on a minimum of a quarterly basis with additional specialist meetings as required. Membership includes National Careers Week directors, Greenpower, STEM Ambassadors, and the chair of Women into Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME). The proposed Careers Hub has been discussed at these meetings to inform the plan and guarantee all parties are engaged. The LEP regularly contributes to the EAN discussions to enable members to recognise the various priorities of the skills agenda. If successful, the work of the careers Hub will be discussed at these meetings to ensure continued alignment. The LEP regularly contributes to the EAN discussions to enable members to recognise the various priorities of the skills agenda. The LEP plans to match all schools with an EA by 2020, current coverage is over 60% via two EAs 24 Appendix A (Ap pendix 1 ). The LEP is committed to find ing additional 50% match funding to appoint one further EA by 2019. In addition to this we will be working with the existing network to support schools to becoming more self-sustaining and to expand via our ECs. The geography of the Humber is unique with two Local Authorities located on the North Bank and two on the South Bank, with an EC situated on each bank. Our plans to recruit a third EC and the development of the Hub will allow the specialist work of Pupil referral units and SEND schools to be supported and work more holistically with the Careers Leaders and EAs, supporting the established ECs to work with the mainstream and colleges in each area. Whilst no Opportunity Areas exist in the Humber, the LEP works in close partnership with York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP and recognises that our fellow LEP is also bidding for a Hub. Local Authority colleagues in the East Riding have already begun to share good practice in relation to CEIAG with their neighbouring Scarborough Opportunity area, and are working together on a plan to extend the existing Hull and East Riding on-line prospectus and careers gateway (‘Log on Move on ’ which is part of the Bridging the Gap portal ) to include Scarborough. If successful both LEP’s would work in partnership to ensure the Scarborough and Doncaster Opportunity Areas would benefit from appropriate shared resources. We will also continue to work in partnership across the boundaries of Sheffield City Region via the ECs network. Strength of leadership and plan: Strong local commitment The four local authorities covering the Humber area have demonstrated their comm itment to the development of a clear careers strategy for the region by match-funding the roles of the two existing ECs. They have also worked closely with the LEP to develop the on-line careers portal, Bridging the Gap which brings together all post 16 course options across the Humber and contains key LMI information, videos and resources accessible to all schools. This platform can be further developed as a best practise guide to the Gatsby Benchmarks. The parents area will be developed with LMI, information on apprenticeships, FE, HE, information and a ‘how to’ guide to supporting young people with transition from year 11 through to a career. EA profiles will be added to the portal, with key information about their area of business and share the employer’s former aspirations whilst at school, explain why they are an EA/other such relevant information that young people will have an interest in, acting as a route way into a similar role/career. Through this partnership the LEP designed the Humber Gold Standard in recognition of high quality, impartial CEIAG and this has recently achieved a license award for the national Quality in Careers Standard, (QICS) meaning all current holders are now nationally accredited .