This month thousands of students, teachers, parents and carers attended Skills London - London’s biggest jobs and careers event for young people. For the second year, London Councils sponsored the Careers and Enterprise Zone, using the opportunity to speak to young people about the career opportunities available across the London boroughs, particularly apprenticeships.
Young people were able to hear first-hand from apprentices across the boroughs about their own experiences, as well as having the opportunity to explore job opportunities through the London Councils interactive job map.
Skills London 2015 was also an opportunity to speak to young people about the London Ambitions Careers Offer, which was launched by London Councils with the Mayor of London and London Enterprise Panel in June this year. London Ambitions incorporates seven evidence-based elements to apply to all young people in London, including access to an impartial careers education, a publicised careers policy, a careers curriculum in every school or college and the target of every young Londoner partaking in at least 100 hours work experience by the age of 16.
London Ambitions aims to transform the landscape of careers and employment support for young people across London, which goes hand-in-hand with the boroughs’ already substantial commitment to creating career opportunities across the capital – this is clearly demonstrated by the creation of over 7,000 apprenticeship opportunities since 2009, as well as thousands of work experience offers and internships. We continue to do this not because we have to, but because we want a first class Careers Offer in place and working in London, for all young Londoners, by 2020. To do that we need the commitment of all of London’s boroughs, schools, colleges and businesses.
Cllr Peter John OBE, London Councils Executive Member for Children, Skills and Employment