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A staggering 1,100 businesses have signed up to the Peterborough Skills Service since its launch in October 2011, but Opportunity Peterborough, the economic development company leading the city’s skills agenda, is calling for many more local companies to register to help meet the growing demand from education providers.

The Skills Service is a pioneering new brokerage programme connecting local businesses with the city’s schools and colleges. It facilitates the delivery of work-related activities with Peterborough’s students, such as mentoring, career talks, classroom sessions and work placements.

Numerous events have been facilitated by the Service since its launch, requiring different levels of commitment from businesses and education providers. A recent ‘Meet the Professional’ lunch at Nene Park Academy was a great success. Ten local businesses joined pupils for school dinner and a chance to talk informally about different occupation routes and the types of work available in their sectors, encouraging students to consider their future options.

Sue Addison, skills lead at Opportunity Peterborough, said: “The Peterborough Skills Service was set up in response to many of the concerns raised by local businesses regarding the ‘work-readiness’ of young people in our city. Now it’s live, I’d urge companies to use it.

“With youth unemployment on the rise nationally and locally, the Service aims to give Peterborough’s young people a variety of business experiences to support their transition into the workplace and boost their chances of securing employment.”

Funded by Opportunity Peterborough and Peterborough City Council, the Peterborough Skills Service also provides members with the latest information on the local labour market, job opportunities and skills gaps. Find out more and sign up by clicking here.