Careersnearhere
“Regardless of their circumstances, we want every young person to have easy access to relevant and local opportunities that will help to get their future started!” This is the vision which drives Careersnearhere, a regional careers website for 16-21-year olds, their families and schools.
Devised by local businesswoman, Emma Tate, and built by local website developers, UKWebPromotions, Careersnearhere is a rapidly evolving resource for the youth of our city which also greatly benefits the local economy.
The website is a one-stop-shop to help young people, their families and schools to find events and open days, work experience, and volunteering. The idea is that these experiences will help to fill CVs and Personal Statements with recent and relevant examples for applications and interviews. At the same time, the website directly signposts (wherever possible) a choice of local academic courses and apprenticeship vacancies relevant to each career sector.
Everything is live and relevant to the career of interest. The adverts only signpost to opportunities with a BS (or BA) postcode, minimising the inconvenience and potential cost of travelling elsewhere in the country. Besides, there are so much opportunities for young people on our doorsteps and Careersnearhere is mobile-friendly so it’s quick and easily accessible!
Emma learned a huge amount from her time in a sixth form careers role at two local schools, preceded by business development experience over two decades with a major UK employer nearby. With the benefit of this experience, she devised Careersnearhere.com as the one simple thing that would have made life ‘so much easier’ when she was helping young people of all backgrounds and abilities because it bridges the gap with the local world of work and brings everything together in one easily accessible place.
Underlying it all is an ethos that there should be no barriers between young people and opportunities in the local economy and so it is completely free to use. Organisations can also post their opportunities for free and are listed alongside each other so that opportunities with smaller businesses, social enterprises and charities routinely sit equally alongside the largest providers. Anyone wanting greater prominence and profile in a relevant career sector can then choose to sponsor that page.
The website is also supported by active social media as well as informative blogs about uni, apprenticeships, and local careers such as marketing, construction, cyber security and aerospace engineering. These articles are always welcomed and anyone with a relevant guest blog to share is encouraged to please get in contact via the website.
Meanwhile Emma and the team are regularly invited into schools to take part in careers fairs and deliver student talks. They have even organised multi-school events on specialist themes such as science, engineering and the creative industries. They also routinely share local careers information for free via Twitter and in a weekly careers bulletin on Facebook – both @helping16to21s. Anyone working with young people who would like this free bulletin conveniently delivered direct to their inbox can subscribe under the Teachers & Advisers section of the website.
As Emma says “Careersnearhere.com: It’s Their Future – Let’s Get It Started!”