Agenda item

Further to Minute 7 of the meeting of the Committee held on 20^th January 2022, the Committee received a report detailing outcomes from the workshop proposed by the Committee involving the Youth Council and relevant Officers to address issues relating to the development of the digital sector in the town, the review of apprenticeships across Oldham, and the offering of digital apprenticeships by the Council, as raised in a Youth Council Motion to Council.

The workshop had been delivered on 23rd March 2022 comprising presentations from the Get Oldham Working Team and the Workforce Development Team which were followed by a feedback session considering whether the Youth Council’s original question had been answered; whether more information was required; and reflecting on the barriers to young people taking up the offers outlined in the presentations.  Overall, the majority were satisfied with the response, but there were some who felt that whilst an overview of the issue had been provided, there was a lack of scrutiny on the work to date.  The range of responses regarding further information were diverse but had one defining theme - most of the responses were questions that could and should be answered by quality careers education and careers advice from suitably qualified careers advisors in schools. 

A common feeling was that young people felt they were unable to make an informed decision about apprenticeships, T-levels or other work-based pathways for several reasons, including a lack of information/awareness while in  school, particularly around T-levels and the pathways available before young people took subject options; pressure from parents to pursue an academic route; peer/parent influence such that pathways other than A-levels were an inferior option; and confusion around qualification levels and if certain qualifications met entry requirements for Higher Education.  A lack of inclusivity for those with SEND and how they accessed the pathways was further highlighted.

Members noted the views that careers advice in schools and at post-16 was not adequate, further noting that the statutory duty for providing careers education and advice lay with schools.  There was a concern that budget pressures might be impacting on careers provision and the need to raise this issue directly with schools was recognised.  The identified need to focus on pupils with SEND was noted and the proposed approach welcomed.  Comments regarding the level of awareness of T-levels and their equivalence to other qualifications were noted, and comment made as to the need to for approaches to counter peer and parent pressure for more academic courses when T-levels maybe a better option for individual pupils.

In noting the views regarding the provision of careers advice, Members queried the scope for the Council to provide a centralised careers advice event, similar to jobs fair-type events held in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, where young people could be provided an opportunity to talk to education and training providers and employers as to options open to them, and to which secondary schools would be invited to send pupils in the appropriate age group(s).  It was acknowledged that there would be a cost in providing such an event and that relevant Services would need to look to their budgets.

The Portfolio Holder undertook to further consider the delivery of a careers advice event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the provision of digital advice, supported the proposed development of a Partnership arrangement, and advised on his intention to meet with the chief executive to discuss the expansion of apprenticeship opportunities within the council such that the Council could act as a role model for other employers.

RESOLVED – that

1.         the delivery of a careers session to Barrier Breakers (a Youth Service run group for young people with SEND) in conjunction with Newbridge Academy Group and Positive Steps to directly respond to the highlighted inclusivity issues for pupils with SEND be supported;

2.         the findings arising from the workshop be shared with the Director of Education, the wider Education Leadership Team, Oldham Learning and OASHP (Oldham and Secondary Heads/Principals) for discussion;

3.         Get Oldham Working and Workforce Development arrange to review with the Youth Council their comments regarding the scrutiny issue raised in respect of their presentations;

4.         the provision of a careers advice event by the Council be supported and recommended by this Committee to Officers for consideration.