We have now been in place for just over a year and would like to welcome you to an event to review the work we have done over the last year, thank a number of organisations that we have worked with and share our plans for the coming months.

The event will be held at the Abercorn Conference Centre in the Paisley Campus of West College Scotland on the 15th June between 4pm - 5.30pm. If you would like to register to attend then please email info@dywwest.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you there!

Calling Young People to join a National Youth Panel!

Are you aged 16-25 and living in the UK?

Do you want to represent the voice of young people on the challenges of moving from school to work?

Are you interested in making a difference to young people’s education?

If yes, help to shape a School-to-Work (S2W) programme for schools across the UK!

Tell me more!

Research based on the views of 1,500 16-21 year-olds said that many young people do not feel they have the right skills, training and experiences to get the jobs they want.  To help change this, organisations want to introduce a School-to-Work (S2W) programme in schools across the UK to ensure young people are fully equipped with the information and skills they need to successfully move from school into work.

Young people need to be at the heart of shaping the S2W programme and so a National Youth Panel is being set-up supported by the BBC, Chartered Management Institute, Developing the Young Workforce North East Scotland, EY Foundation, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations to ensure that the voice of young people is heard on S2W issues.  

What will I be doing?

As a member of the National Youth Panel your commitment will require approximately 8-10 hours/month and will involve:

• Monthly calls with the other National Youth Panel members and meetings in person at least once a year
• Working with representatives from the business, education and social sectors to provide a youth perspective on S2W syllabus proposals
• Providing reaction to news items related to S2W issues
• Representing the National Youth Panel at external events.

The deadline to apply is 2 June 2017.

For further information and details on how to apply to become a member, please find further information attached below.

DYW West are inviting local companies in the West Region (Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire) to take part in the Scottish Apprenticeship Challenge which recognises the skills and creativity of apprentices and allows them to showcase their contribution to the local community.

The challenge is open to companies with staff currently following an Apprenticeship Framework. The company/apprentice(s) should identify a project which benefits the local community and the awards are open to individual apprentices or teams of apprentices (up to 8 apprentices in a team), depending upon the project being undertaken. We recommend that a maximum of 40 hours is spent on this project (including planning). 

Registration must be received by the 30^th of June 2017 and the challenge should be completed and report submitted by the 29^th of September 2017.

All teams will be invited to a Presentation Ceremony in October 2017 where they will present on their project to a panel of judges and wider audience. All apprentices will receive a certificate to acknowledge their achievement. 

Further information on the challenge and registration documentation is included below.

Are you interested in earning whilst you learn? An apprenticeship provides the opportunity to gain work experience whilst achieving qualifications.

DYW West have compiled a list of available apprenticeships in a variety of industries from accountancy to childcare! Be quick as applications are closing soon!

St Luke's High School would like to invite employers to support their careers event for construction related career pathways. At the event there will be the opportunity to speak with over 200 young people and their families about careers in your industry.

School: St Luke's High School, Springfield Road, Glasgow G78 2SG

Event Title: Construction Event

Date & Time: 31st of January between 7pm - 8.30pm

For further information about the event or to register your interest, please email info@dywwest.co.uk

Our Lady & St Patrick's High School would like to invite employers from all sectors to attend their Transitions Evening on the 9th of February. Organised in the style of a careers exhibition, each contributor will have their own stand where young people and their families can access information and resources about career opportunities in their industry.

School: Our Lady & St Patrick's High School, Hawthornhill Road, Dumbarton G82 5JN

Event Title: Transitions Evening

Date: 9th of February

If you would like further information or to register your interest, please email info@dywwest.co.uk

All members of the DYW West team are involved with the Young Enterprise Company Programme which provides senior phase secondary school pupils with the opportunity to set up their own business with the support of a business advisor from the community.

Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire (which includes East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde) Area Teams recently held their Trade Fairs in which participating companies set up a stall and sell their product to compete for the Best Trade Fair Award. Within the Renfrewshire Area Team, this award was presented to YOUnique Frames from Inverclyde Academy (pictured above). Dunbartonshire Area award winner will be revealed at Final Evening Review on the 15th of March 2017.

Participating in the company programme provides great opportunities for development, even after you have finished competing. Natalie Roberts from Inverclyde Academy, who won the IoD Managing Director Award earlier this year at the Young Enterprise National Finals, was invited to present at the IoD Scotland Conference in November (pictured below).

Congratulations to all of the young people on the fantastic business ideas and thank you to the business advisors for supporting these amazing young entrepreneurs!

DYW West had the privilege to take part in the When Will I Use This? event organised by Eastwood High School. The morning provided S3 pupils with the opportunity to develop their understanding of the importance of numeracy, literacy and transferable skills in the workplace. Employers' operating across a range of industries including healthcare, hospitality, financial services and the public sector were representated on the day which allowed insight into the relevance of vital skills across the world of work. The event was extremely successful and we would like to thank all of the employers who gave their time to participate on the day!  

St Stephens Positive Destinations Day
DYW had the privilege to take part in the St Stephens Positive Destinations event.  As part of the day the pupils were able to speak with a range of employers about the world of work and opportunities available within their specific sector. With support from an abundance of employers such as; Clark Contracts, McLaren Packaging, Rolls Royce, Ferguson Marine and West Coast Cinemas, the event ran from 9am until the end of the school day. The event was very well organised by Margaret Harvey at the school, and all the young people and the employers got a lot out of the day! 

Inverclyde Academy Careers Evening
A careers evening organised by Catriona Sherry from Inverclyde Academy this month was well attended by the pupils and parents, with a number of educational establishments and employers being represented. Universities, colleges and employers such as Inverclyde Council, Aldi, Santander, and Campbell Construction Group were able to speak with and answer any questions from attendees. A special mention to David at Whyte and Christie who brought his entire Joinery workshop so the young people could have an interactive experience! 

On the 13^th of October ninety-five young women from each high school in Renfrewshire flooded into West College Scotland in Paisley to be inspired by women who have built successful careers in the Construction and STEM Industry (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

The event was supported by Renfrewshire Council, British Gas, Clark Contracts, the NHS and Sweco, who all have challenges in recruiting female apprentices into traditionally male dominated roles.  Not only did the young women get the chance to speak to the employers about their careers but also about future opportunities within the company. In addition to this, participants got the chance to get their hands dirty and try some practical activities in renewables, painting and decorating, bricklaying and joinery.

Great fun was had by all in attendance and hopefully it made some steps towards addressing gender imbalance in the construction industries!