Member Article

?Time to reach out to young people,? says Aspire

Enterprise Week is the perfect opportunity for businesses to take time out to communicate the wealth of possibilities in the region to young people, says the Aspire campaign. Aspire is calling for private sector businesses to help reverse current statistics, which show that 60% of young people in the region believe there are no career opportunities for them here.

Sarah Green, regional director of the CBI, which co-owns the Aspire campaign, said: “Each year Enterprise Week shines a light on the potential everyone has to start a business. Our young people need to realise where they fit in the growth of this region - from showing them this region has the support to make their dreams a reality, to just opening their eyes to the careers on offer here and the fantastic lifestyle they can have, we all have a role to play in helping them feel more passionate about the North East.”

James Ramsbotham, chief executive of North East Chamber of Commerce, said: “Young people in our region have the talent and the drive to become great leaders of the future. “If every business reached out to just one young person to help them into work, or self employment, then our dual problems of lack of aspiration in our young people and huge skills shortages in many sectors would simply vanish.”

By promoting the work of businesses that are already launching apprenticeship schemes, working in local schools, running master-classes or work experience workshops for young people, the Aspire Campaign aims to raise awareness of the need for action amongst employers to lift the horizons of young people and keep them in this region.

Businesses wishing to do something to make a difference for young people this Enterprise Week can follow one of Aspire’s “10 ways to get involved with young people” for the relevant organisations out there to help them get started or log on to www.aspiretoday.co.uk for further details.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .