Posted on 14 July
Nikki Davis, Leeds College of Building (LCB) CEO and Principal, has chaired a panel discussion on apprenticeships, further education and careers at the inaugural Trade Jumpstart Skills Summit.
The event, hosted by Leeds Rhinos and Checkatrade at AMT Headingley Stadium, saw education leaders, industry experts and policymakers discuss plans to tackle the city’s response to the NEET crisis.
After introductory remarks by Jamie Jones-Buchanan, MBE (Chief Executive of Leeds Rhinos), in which the former Leeds Rhinos star drew upon his experiences as both a player and a manager, three panel discussions followed.
The first was a local perspective on the crisis, the second looked at what a devolved regional government response could look like and the third centred around how best to promote vocational routes into industry, chaired by our own Nikki Davis.
Participants included Alex Sobel (MP for Leeds Central and Headingley), Colin Buckle (Associate Technical Director at Arcadis) and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, MBE, who underlined the importance of “collaboration and cross pollination” between everybody in the room.
Other participants across the day included Tracy Brabin (Mayor of West Yorkshire), Jambu Palaniappan (CEO of Checkatrade), Katie White, OBE (MP for Leeds North), Simon Flowers, OBE (CEO of Leeds Learning Alliance) and Bob Bowman, QPM (CEO of Leeds Rhinos Foundation).
The summit, which coincided with Youth Employment Week, also served as the launch of Checkatrade’s Trade Jumpstart package, which will be delivered in line with the Government’s Youth Guarantee.
On partnering with Checkatrade as part of Trade Jumpstart, Rob Holmes, LCB Vice Principal, said:
“Qualifying is a huge milestone for our learners, but starting out on your own in the trades brings a whole new set of challenges – from winning that first job to managing the admin behind the scenes.
“Trade Jumpstart gives our graduates a genuine head start, with the credibility, tools and support network to get their business off the ground with confidence.
“As a CTEC representing Yorkshire and the Humber, we’re proud to be the first college partnering with Checkatrade and support its growth across the CTEC network so more learners across the country can benefit.”
Want to read more about Checkatrade’s Trade Jumpstart? Visit their website right here.
Fancy joining our LCB family? Find a course that works for you right here.
