Posted on 8 July
Three Leeds College of Building (LCB) students have taken part in a panel discussion around supporting young people into good quality education, employment and training.
Organised by Leeds City Council, the Inclusive Growth Partnership Event named ‘Young people and work: A city conversation’ was held in the Hisense Leeds Lounge at Elland Road Stadium.
The event focused on the recent publication of Alan Milburn’s interim report about the UK’s NEET (16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training) crisis.
After opening remarks by Leeds City Councillors, key figures from education and sport in the city took part in panel discussions.
Hannah Wilson (Principal of University Technical College), Peter Slee (Vice Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University), Bill Jones (Chief Executive Office of Luminate Education Group), Stephanie Burras, CBE (Chief Executive of Ahead Partnership) and Jamie Jones-Buchanan, MBE (Chief Executive of Leeds Rhinos) all spoke about developing a strong local response to the crisis.
The panels around preventing youth disengagement and supporting young people into employment were followed by breakout sessions focused on prevention, response and young people’s perspectives.
LCB students Niamh Ormsby, Danis Magzyanov and Johnathan Kinghorn spoke to the assembled crowd about what it’s like being a young person starting their career in Leeds, and what teachers and employers can do to support them.
Danis said he felt it was important to “invest in young people early”, with Johnathan adding that it’s hard when “employers want experience, yet there’s little opportunity to get any.”
Johnathan, who this week completed his Electrical Installation course at LCB, has landed himself an apprenticeship and singled out LCB Employability Officer Kelly Fulton for going “above and beyond helping [me] find apprenticeship opportunities.”
When asked what advice our students would give to other young people, Johnathan said: “don’t give up on your dreams”, while Danis stressed that “confidence comes with experience, so put yourself out there.”
Niamh, who followed her father into the construction industry, said it was important to not “let other people’s opinions affect your decisions” when thinking about your future.
“I felt judged by people for wanting to study bricklaying, but ultimately it’s my life, not theirs.”
Explaining the difference between her experiences in high school and her life at college, Niamh said “even things like having a ‘code of conduct’ instead of ‘school rules’ help you feel valued and not patronised.”
“It’s a case of feeling like an equal and not a student to be told what to do. My parents taught me that respect was earned not given and I have definitely felt that during my time at LCB.”
Inclusive Growth Leeds was launched in 2023, setting out a 10-year roadmap with the aim of generating £20bn in economic growth and creating 100,000 new jobs across the city.
Alan Miburn’s interim report titled ‘Young people and work’ was published in May, his final report is due in the autumn.
Read the full ‘Young people and work’ interim report’ here.
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