With so much uncertainty surrounding grades, jobs and employment at the moment, it is understandable that this could be causing some anxiety or confusion for teenagers and their parents.
Ahead of the exam results due to be released this week, Plymouth City Council, working in city wide partnership, has set up ‘Skills Launchpad Plymouth’ as a new virtual FREE one-stop-shop skills service which aims to help local people stay informed to equip themselves with the skills and confidence that they will need to play a part in the city’s future, targeting support for young people through the new Youth Hub and supporting those who are facing redundancy through the new Adult Hub.
The intention is to help local people to build the skills that local employers need both today and in the future to fill the jobs. It's all part of the city's Resurgam economic recovery programme.
Councillor Jon Taylor, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Transformation said: “Our Skills Launchpad is a one-stop-shop for all who are considering their next move. It’s not just their futures we have been thinking about.
"We know that for many people high levels of anxiety and stress has really taken their toll in recent months. That’s why we also really keen to provide support for mental health too.
"Our Skills Launchpad is a virtual, safe space where young people can go to receive advice and support that is right for them. It shows the great opportunities available in the city, links young people to advisers and advice, helps you find mental health support if necessary and brings together impartial careers advice with job and apprenticeship offers along with better understanding of further study and training options.
"It may be that the right job requires skills that young people don’t yet have so a key part of the hub is making sure that the training and qualifications needed are clearly visible and can be accessed.
"Focused specifically on Plymouth, this has been a fantastic partnership effort with all partners bringing everything together for the first time to support the schools, the employers and the people in and around Plymouth as we deal with the economic impact of Coronavirus.”
Skills Launchpad Plymouth will be continuously developed as the go to place for local skills support, providing orientation and up to date real-time labour market intelligence so that local people can stay informed about the real employment opportunities today and in the future. The service will also offer comprehensive impartial information, advice and guidance, in order to match opportunities to pathways into education, training, apprenticeships, employment, work experience, volunteering and self-employment.
Find out more at www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk.