Back to School: An Update on SEBP
As the summer holidays come to a close, and our attention turns to the new school year, it’s a good time to remind members of the activities of the Salisbury Education & Business Partnership (SEBP) and ways in which you can help with this valuable initiative.
SEBP was launched two years ago by the Chamber of Commerce with support from the Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID). Our aim is to develop effective partnerships between schools, colleges and the local business and wider community in Salisbury and there has been some excellent involvement by both companies and individuals. These interactions bring many benefits to both young people and businesses, you can read more about the benefits here.
Since forming the Partnership 2 years ago, we’ve been involved in several activities.
The SEBP database of businesses and individuals that support schools with careers activities. From career talks in assembly, to mock interviews and work experience, schools need help from businesses to inform and inspire their students. They also need to know about local companies that offer apprenticeships or graduate entry schemes for those leaving school or college – or returning to Salisbury after University.
We are currently updating our database ready for the new academic year. Please consider joining this valuable resource. You can read more about the activities that require support and, if you think you can help, complete the ‘Register Your Support’ form. We will pass on your details to the schools and colleges in the Partnership for their staff to contact you directly. The closing date for this year’s new database is 26th September.
Salisbury Apprenticeships and Early Careers Fair. In January this year, we put on an Apprenticeships and Early Careers Fair, hosted jointly by Salisbury Sixth Form College and Wiltshire College and with support from the Wiltshire Careers Hub. All the secondary schools in Salisbury sent pupils with over 800 attending during the day and a further 200 parents and students came to an evening session. 25 local employers from all sectors took part. Such was its success, we have been asked to run it again, and the format is being copied for other parts of Wiltshire.
Next year’s fair will be on Wednesday 24th January 2024, hosted again at the 6th Form College and Wiltshire College. If you have early career roles, and would like to take part please get in touch with [email protected]
The Salisbury Education Challenge has run since 2017 asking students for their ideas on important issues such as Climate Change, Skills and Enterprise and making improvements for Salisbury. The most recent Challenge on Climate Change has been extended to primary schools and details of three excellent winning projects will shortly be announced on the Chamber website!
A number of previous ideas have been taken up and are now part of everyday life in the city.
The Challenge for the 2023/2024 academic year will be Salisbury 2035 asking students to develop their vision of what should be done over the next twelve years to ensure a vibrant and sustainable Salisbury by 2035. The Salisbury Journal article on Salisbury 2035 is here.
Career Videos in our series ‘Just the Job’. There are now 12 which can be viewed here. Although there are many such videos around, these feature people working in or near Salisbury and have been well received by schools.
Titles include a career in Law, as a Paramedic, Architect, Journalist and much more. The next video in the series – on a career as a Vet – will be available soon.
If you would like to put your name forward to feature in a video or know someone who would be suitable – please get in touch with [email protected]
The impact of SEBP extends beyond the individual student level. The partnership actively contributes to the economic growth and prosperity of Salisbury as a whole. Together, we can build a brighter future for Salisbury by empowering our students and fostering meaningful connections between education and business. Please come and join us by adding your details to the database.