To commemorate International Day of Education 2025, Chester Business Club collaborated with Abbey Gate College in a free networking evening in January 2025, bringing together business leaders in the Chester area. The event was an ideal opportunity to focus attention on skills, learning and development throughout our lives.
Chester Business Club Chair, Jan Chillery, explained how the Club encourages its members and the wider business community to engage with education and training providers to influence and support life-long learning. By offering opportunities for work experience and mentoring, businesspeople can help our next generation to be “career ready” and have the soft skills that are so vital in business and generally. This event followed on from the Club’s innovative Members’ Supper in November 2024 about “Generational Boardroom Diversity” facilitated by workplace culture coach and author, Alison Blackler of 2-Minds.
Our host Craig Jenkinson, Head of Abbey Gate College, explained how the college works to achieve career-readiness in its students and encourages them to go on to make a positive difference in the world, with courage and with compassion.
Sarah Emes-Young, Project Manager of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) in Cheshire & Warrington, gave an informative presentation about business engagement with education and training (slides in this gallery). These include:
- Attending your local careers / jobs fair
- Working with your school Careers Lead or Governor Careers Link
- Offering meaningful experience of the workplace opportunities (e.g. project work, videos of your workplace, employee stories, careers and development opportunities)
- Being part of mock assessment centres / mock interviews
- Attending lessons where you can bring your subject to life Careers in the Curriculum
Sarah highlighted useful further resources:
- The Gatsby Benchmarks, used by schools and colleges to meet career measures: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance
- How to become a voluntary Enterprise Advisor in your local high schools and college: https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/employers/your-experience-matters-help-schools-and-colleges-shape-futures/
- How to familiarise yourself with the education landscape: https://www.educationlandscape.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Education-Landscape-Guide-June-2022.pdf
For further information contact LSIP and/or the Chair.
The Club sincerely thanks Abbey Gate College for hosting this event and for the delicious food and wine served. Thank you to the College’s fantastic independent caterers, Chartwells http://www.chartwells.co.uk/independent