Careers leaders and other professionals working in careers guidance from across the seven North East local authorities gathered in Newcastle upon Tyne last week to discuss making careers education and guidance in our region fit for the future.

Organised by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP), the North East Ambition Regional Careers Conference focused on changes to education and the labour market, new technologies, and helping young people develop the skills to be successful in this future world. It also addressed the role that careers guidance plays in catalysing economic growth in the North East.

Matt Joyce, Regional Lead: North East Ambition, from the North East LEP, said: “This is the only event of its kind in the region that brings together careers leaders and other key stakeholders from across the seven North East local authorities to focus on how we can support young people prepare for their future.

“It’s an important forum to share knowledge and best practice, look at careers provision on a pan-regional scale, and to make sure that the careers education and guidance young people are receiving is setting them – and our region – up for a successful future.”

Attended by careers leaders from schools, colleges and SEND schools, as well as stakeholders such as employers, governors and local authorities, the event included keynote presentations on the role of AI in education, the importance of personal guidance and the future of the jobs market in the North East. There were also updates on national policy and on practice within the North East.

Practical workshops on a diverse range of topics also shared best practice and equipped careers leaders with the tools and resources they need to deliver high quality careers education and help develop young people’s knowledge and understanding of the opportunities open to them and the skills they will need.

Ronald Burn, Head of Careers Education and Student Progress at Newcastle College, who attended the event, said: “These events provide an essential networking opportunity for careers professionals to get together and share best practice and build collaborative progression awareness of opportunities for our young people across the region.”

And Gareth McQuillan, School Improvement Adviser, North Tyneside Council, said: “It was great to see just how much is happening in the North East around careers and employer engagement.”

Matt Joyce added: “Top quality careers provision for young people is essential in helping them make decisions about their future, understand what opportunities are available in different sectors, and the range of routes into them.”

“And it’s essential that careers leaders and others working with young people are given what they need to support young people in their important decision-making. This is what will help us make sure our region has a pipeline of skilled and ambitious young people to take us forward.”

The North East LEP is supporting all schools and colleges in the North East to achieve the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks by 2024 through its North East Ambition programme that provides year-round training, resources, updates as well as bespoke support for Careers Leaders, teachers, head teachers and governors.

Find out more about the North East LEP’s work to raise the standards of careers guidance in the region at www.NorthEastAmbition.co.uk.