New Career Zone makes ‘careers advice cool’

Careers Champions from across the UK have heralded Cornwall’s new Career Zone ‘a fantastic opportunity for young people’.

The new Career Zone, at Truro and Penwith College, was officially opened at the College’s Career Zone Conference on Thursday.

The facility has been constructed as part of an investment of £1.375m the College has received from the Department for Education’s Strategic Development Fund for industry-led facility development.

The event also saw the College publish its new Careers Strategy, that will see it offer an enhanced level of careers advice to reenergise young people aged 11 – 18 across Cornwall to realise their career ambitions, find their futures and ‘make careers advice cool’.

The event saw almost 100 careers professionals and employers share best practice, advice and hear from a line-up of nationally renowned keynote speakers from the careers field.

The Career Zone facilities and strategy have been developed alongside embedding careers in the College curriculum, thanks to funding from the Government’s Shared Prosperity fund.

New facilities include confidential breakout rooms, conversation pods and workspaces with careers resources and guidance integrated into curriculum.

The work is backed by the expansion of the College’s careers team, which has grown to 17 of some of the county’s most highly-qualified careers professionals across both its Truro and Penzance campuses.

Edward Bolitho OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, was in attendance to officially cut the ribbon and open the new facilities at Truro College, with work underway to install the second Career Zone at Penwith College over the Easter break.

Edward Bolitho OBE said: “I’m deeply impressed that this Career Zone is opening. It’s all very well giving someone a really good education, which you get at this college, but at the end of it you’ve got to find them a good job. It’s really important that a place like this can tell people a little bit about what the world of work is like. I’m very excited to cut the ribbon, I always love to do it!”

Truro and Penwith College’s Careers Strategy includes a detailed roadmap of how it will work with careers agencies and schools to engage with young people from Year 7, keeping future careers in focus throughout their education journey, until they leave College and progress to their desired destination.

Tim Moody, Employability and Careers Lead at the College, said: “With numerous guests invited from the world of careers, information, advice and guidance, and HR leads from employers from all sectors, Truro and Penwith College is proud to announce the official opening of the Career Zone.

“This new facility and strategy prove our dedication to support students to reach their aspirations. We want to challenge students, help them look, reach, and go further during their time with us and make careers advice cool.

“The Career Zone will allow students to research job opportunities, analyse labour market information and conduct job readiness activities. It is vital for us as educators to prepare our young people for their futures, and to have a strong bond with employers. We are proud that our students will be able to get inspired by our new Careers Advisors and find out about amazing careers right here in Cornwall and beyond.”

Amongst the Career Zone Conference’s keynote speakers was Katherine Jennick, founder of the nationally acclaimed ‘What’s Your Strength?’ tool used by Careers Advisors across the UK and David Allison, Co-Founder and CEO of GetMyFirstJob who led a seminar on labour market trends.

Katherine Jennick commented: “It was lovely to be able to share my passion about helping young people develop self-awareness. I wish every single school and college had a Career Zone just like this one. It’s amazing, what a fantastic opportunity for young people locally.”

The College’s Career Zone team will be available in the new facilities at Truro College Open Evening on 04 May and Penwith College Open Evening on 18 May.