The Enterprise Adviser Network is a national network funded by the Careers & Enterprise Company.
The Network connects schools, academies and colleges with employers and careers programme providers to work together to create meaningful encounters with the world of work for young people.
In Lancashire the Enterprise Adviser Network is delivered by Inspira on behalf of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.
The network is based on evidence that a young person who has four or more encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training, and can earn up to 18% more during their career.
Not all eduational institutions offer young people this kind of encounter, and unemployment among young people is three times higher than overall unemployment.
Our focus is to address this gap by bringing together employers, schools and colleges, and careers programme providers to:
- give young people multiple opportunities to get to know the world of work, understand what work is, explore their options and build real confidence about their future
- bring the right people together to create strong connections between employers and careers programme providers and schools and colleges in ways that put young people’s futures first.
"The Enterprise Adviser Network has been very successful in its first year, so I
am delighted that we are able to roll it out to many more schools. We are opening
the eyes of hundreds of young people to the wide-ranging employment opportunities
available in business locally."
Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, Director - Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub.
Our goals
- More encounters: at least 4 employer and workplace encounters for young people.
- Start younger: ensure careers education begins at year 7.
- Follow the impact: incorporate the evidence of ‘what works’ to guide strategic careers planning in schools and colleges (mentoring, enterprise competitions and work-related learning).
- Make it last: Embed in the curriculum and celebrate an ethos that places careers and enterprise opportunities at the heart of the school or college.
How the network supports schools, colleges and employers
Enterprise Coordinators work on behalf of the Network. They are trained professionals who:
- work with clusters of 20 schools, academies and colleges to build careers plans
- make connections to local and national employers
Each school and college is supported by an Enterprise Adviser, a senior business volunteer, who:
- helps unlock relationships with other local employers
- provides the head teacher or careers team with strategic counsel to develop an effective careers strategy
Register your interest
If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Lancashire Enterprise Adviser and joining our network, please fill out the form on this page.
To find out more about skills needs, priorities and what's being done to inspira and develop people in Lancashire please visit www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk to find out more.