Mayor’s Successful Careers Initiative Expands to Thousands of Primary Pupils

A new £750,000 pilot has today (18 January) been launched to provide top-quality careers education for Tees Valley’s primary school pupils.

The move follows the success of the initial £3million TeesValleyCareers.com initiative, established by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen in 2018. Since then the scheme has engaged with around 100,000 pupils in every secondary school and college, giving them high quality careers guidance along with substantial contact with a wide range of local businesses from a host of difference sectors.

This expansion will deliver support and resources to the area’s 204 primary schools, giving an extra 67,500 young people, their teachers, parents and guardians careers education, such as linking schools with the region’s business leaders to share their knowledge and experience.

The TeesValleyCareers.com website has also been expanded to include a dedicated primary-age area which includes videos, guides, lesson plans and information for schools, along with a host of careers-related activities and events taking place until the end of the 2022 academic year in July.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Getting young people onto the path of a good quality career right here in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool can never begin early enough. With this pilot, we’re filling the one gap we have in our skills and careers programme – the under 11s.

“The TeesValleyCareers.com initiative for 11 to 18 year olds has been a massive success, with schools, pupils and businesses all singing its praises for being a rewarding, helpful and informative scheme that benefits students and our fantastic companies. We’re taking that same level of support and starting to bring it into our primary schools to give young people and their parents a real picture of the jobs that are being created today and in the future, and the opportunities that lie ahead for them.

“This support is already in place for teenagers and thanks to our apprenticeship schemes and the £30million devolved Adult Education Budget – which we only have by virtue of having an elected Mayor – this training and education can continue into adulthood.

“Combined with our Routes to Work scheme, also recently expanded, that helps the people that need it most back into work, we’re making sure no one gets left behind when it comes to accessing good quality jobs, no matter their age – a key part of my plan for jobs.”

For more information, visit www.TeesValleyCareers.com/primary