Skills Aid Plymouth students celebrate

The first group of young people from three city schools celebrated completing the Skills Aid Plymouth (SAP) course at an award ceremony yeseterday afternoo(17 April) in front of their parents, teachers and mentors and the business that have taken part in the project.

The SAP scheme, the first of its kind in Plymouth, is a joint project between the City Council and Plymouth’s Rotary Clubs, who have provided the majority of the volunteer mentors working on the scheme.

It is designed to help pupils understand and gain important employability skills which will improve future chances in an increasingly competitive job market and broaden their career options.

Three schools have been involved in SAP and teachers from All Saints Church of England Academy Plymouth, Marine Academy Plymouth and Sir John Hunt put forward the names of young people they felt most likely to benefit from the scheme.

Thirteen-year-old Leo said he felt he’s gained confidence since being on the project: “We learnt a lot about work. We also saw that the jobs that are available are not just the obvious ones. Every business needs lots of different skills, such as communication, team work, planning, good time keeping, leadership etc. And I think the whole experience helped us realise what we need to do to get the jobs that we would really like.”

The young people involved were all assigned a personal mentor for one year, who not only helped them with practical tasks like coursework linked to employability but have also been with them on all the field trips and visits to local businesses.

Sarah Slater, from Sir John Hunt said “As link teacher with responsibilities for providing careers advice and guidance the Skills Aid Programme has been a real asset for helping students understand the types of jobs and careers they can aspire to. Throughout the scheme we have seen a great deal of positive change in the students who have gained valuable skills and a better understanding of what the city of Plymouth can offer them in the future”

Judith Harwood, Assistant Director for Learning and Communities said: “Skills Aid Plymouth is a great scheme that targets young people in need of a little extra guidance and support to help them achieve in life. Furthermore it is real cooperative venture involving the City Council, schools, Plymouth's Rotary Clubs and a diverse range of local businesses who each host inspiring visits and experiences to raise the aspirations of our young students”

To kick off the SAP scheme, the group met with their new mentors at a launch event in at Plymouth Argyle. This was followed by visits to Centrica, the National Marine Aquarium, Babcock International, Shelterbox, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth Community Homes, Dartmoor Zoo and Vospers.