LEEA becomes a Young Person’s Guarantee Partner
The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) is proud to announce it has become a Young Person’s Guarantee Partner.
The Scottish Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee aims to connect every 16-24 year old in Scotland to an opportunity, whether it is a job, apprenticeship, further education, training or voluntary work. It provides a great tool for employers to plan and structure their activities with young people, who gain the opportunity to find their future by searching more than 40,000 jobs, apprenticeships, courses and volunteering opportunities via the Young Person’s Guarantee Opportunity Finder.
It is important for LEEA to join the Young Person’s Guarantee; our members have exciting opportunities for young people to join our industry, providing amazing career paths for talented individuals. As a partner, we encourage our members to connect with, and support, young people through becoming Young Person Guarantee employers. This is a Scottish Government Initiative therefore it will only be available to our members in Scotland.
Working to deliver the Young Person’s Guarantee is Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), which helps employers to connect with students in schools and colleges across Scotland. Its team works with businesses to help them identify how best they can engage with young people to prepare them for the world of work. This could include helping with CVs and mock interviews, providing valuable sector insights, or showcasing their business as a potential employer, along with the potential opportunities available.
LEEA is already active in this field through the Think Lifting schools engagement programme, and DYW North East was a significant contributor to LiftEx 2022 in Aberdeen. One of 20 regional groups in Scotland, DYW North East covers Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire – a region at the heart of the energy sector and therefore a significant area of lifting activity. Its team includes Employer School Coordinators who are mapped to each secondary school in the area to develop local partnerships between education and industry. An interview with DYW North East Director, Margo Milne, can be watched at https://leeaint.com/leea-news/be-my-guest-margo-milne.
Attracting the next generation is key for the lifting industry if it wishes to avoid skills shortages. Early engagement with young people while they are still at school is incredibly important for achieving this goal. Tools like LEEA’s Think Lifting classes help to raise pupils’ awareness of the different roles that are available in the industry. Just as importantly, industry-led classroom activities allow young people to develop the skills that LEEA members are looking for, so that they are better placed to join the workforce when they do leave school. Teachers also benefit from exposure to these sessions too; it helps them to refine the curriculum to better reflect the world of work.
The Lifting Industry offers an abundance of opportunities for young people but faces the challenge of raising awareness of these opportunities. Informing and inspiring young people about the opportunities within lifting can help LEEA members to build a talent pipeline for the future.
Becoming a Young Person’s Guarantee employer can help to raise an organisation’s profile and provides access to on-going partnership support. LEEA members must have an appetite to get involved – all the evidence suggests they do. It is a fantastic way to tap into talent and make a difference. So we encourage members to get in touch with DYW across Scotland. They are on hand to guide organisations through the process and beyond and would be delighted to hear from you. Follow the links to access more information on DYW https://www.dyw.scot and the Young Person’s Guarantee https://youngpersonsguarantee.scot.
