Message from Katharine

Double Whammy this week, celebrating National Careers Week and Colleges Week!  Hope it has been a good one for all!

As a parent of a year 9 child, attending his GCSE options evening this week and discussing career pathways, it really hit home how the education and careers landscape really is a beast for children and parents to navigate, and I work in the sector!  Demystifying and simplifying routes and language is a task that really does need all our attention across Essex!  Be assured, EPN are working closely with LSIP colleagues, the local Authorities and Careers Enterprise Company to look at collaborative solutions for this.

Careers Education in England, 2024/25’ report
To coincide with National Careers Week 2026, The Careers & Enterprise Company has today published the ‘Careers Education in England, 2024/25’ report.

A good read and some great information to share with employers on the return on investment (ROI) and impact of engaging in Work Experience and YP placements to encourage even more participation.

The report reflects on the wider context for the careers system and the way forward, highlighting key insights across three areas:

1. Careers provision in schools and colleges is improving
There has been a threefold increase in schools’ and colleges’ achievement against the Gatsby Benchmarks since 2016/17 (from 1.9 to 6.0 on average).
2. Students say they are more prepared for work, but some need more support
By Year 11, students are, in general, more ready for work than when they start secondary school; they are twice as likely to understand apprenticeships compared to learners in Year 7 (almost on a par with A-levels).
3. Employers are investing in careers education to build future talent
More employers than ever are involved with education. Employers who offer work experience are 77% more likely to report business benefits than those that don’t.

Balfour Beatty apprenticeships on the Lower Thames Crossing
Balfour Beatty are seeking local talent from Brentwood, Havering, Thurrock, or from within 20 miles of the Lower Thames Crossing for a variety of apprenticeship opportunities:

• Level 3 Engineering Surveying, Digital Project Delivery Engineer and Business Administration
• Level 4 Site Supervisor (Construction experience needed)
• Degree Apprenticeship Civil Engineering

The Business Admin role is here, Lower Thames Crossing- Business Administration Apprentice – Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK. The other positions can be found here: Job Search.

Applicants are encouraged to include information on any engagement they have had with LTC already, e.g. site visits, work experience, school events, etc. This will help to identify applications from their priority schools/colleges.

Supporting the Information Communications Technician (ICT) apprenticeship standard
City & Guilds is currently looking for digital and technology employers who either run apprenticeships or have experience working with apprentices to take part in our Employer Validation process for the Information Communications Technician (ICT) apprenticeship standard (ST0973) (Information communications technician / Skills England)

The work of employer validation will help shape how apprentices are assessed and ensure they are fully prepared for employment in the digital and IT sector.

What’s involved

• Attend 1-2 online meetings where we will review the City & Guilds development approach and discuss how well the standard aligns with workplace skills and expectations.
• Materials shared to review in advance

C&G offer £31.50 per hour as payment for support, in recognition of the employer contribution.

If you or a colleague in your wider network would like to take part, you/they can submit an Expression of Interest form.
C&G Digital Industry Manager Teresa.senyah@cityandguilds.com can also be contacted for further info.

Free Carbon Cutting Essex App
Reminder that this Free Carbon Cutting Essex App that was created by ECC in partnership with Green Redeem can help you, your staff, learners and their families discover top tips and ideas on daily actions we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint, with short activities and quizzes.

It’s a great app to share in personal development tutorials, on your websites or student intranets, etc.  My primary age children even love watching the educational videos and doing the quizzes!

From our daily commute to recycling and home energy saving, the app provides a wealth of practical and cost-effective advice to help us all reduce our carbon footprint, minimise our impact on the planet and help transform Essex to become a greener county.

Why register?

• win prizes
• redeem personal rewards
• help charities
• hints/tips will also save you some money too

Click the link to register and find out more: Welcome to the Carbon Cutting Essex App

Support for VCS organisations
Active Essex has launched Phase 2 of the Your Essex Community programme, aimed at strengthening the voluntary and community sector (VCS) through tailored, place-based infrastructure support.
Building on Phase 1 insights, the new phase invites applications from partners to deliver support around governance, planning, collaboration, and organisational resilience, helping VCS groups become stronger and more sustainable long term. The programme continues to focus on local solutions, ensuring each community receives support based on its unique needs while moving toward a more community led model across Essex.

Full guidance, priorities and application form can be found here: Your Essex Community Place-Based Support Phase 2  – Active Essex. The deadline for applications is 12:00pm on Monday 13^th April.

‘No Train, No Gain’ Webinar from the Learning and Work Institute
L&W’s  ‘No train, no gain’ report, commissioned by Multiverse, demonstrates the importance of training to job mobility and movement into higher skilled roles where demand is growing. However, declining investment in skills and training is trapping too many in a doom loop of lower skills and pay, further risking dislocation in the face of labour market changes in the decade to come.

This webinar will present the research findings and consider the role of employers and government in addressing these challenges.
When: 11^th March 1-2pm
Aimed at: The webinar will be of interest to policymakers at national and local levels, employers, learning providers, awarding bodies, and researchers, as well as everyone interested in employment and skills.
Speakers will include:

• Stephen Evans, Chief Executive, Learning and Work Institute
• Cheryl Giles, Senior Employer and Partnership Manager, Department for Work and Pensions
• Ann Watson, CEO, Enginuity
• Tim Smith, VP – Corporate Affairs, Multiverse
• Victoria Armstrong, Policy Manager, Business LDN
• Aaron Revel, Head of Lifelong Learning, Learning and Work Institute

Register for the webinar

Essex Growth Agency – Funding News Bulletin 27/02/26
Last week’s bulletin showcases a broad spectrum of UK and international opportunities supporting innovation, skills, community development, creative industries, health research, defence, and entrepreneurship
View bulletin here.

Campaign for Apprenticeships 

The Make it an Apprenticeship is a great campaign to share across your networks, encouraging more employers to consider turning an entry‑level vacancy into a Level 2 or 3 apprenticeship to support young people at the start of their career journey. To learn more about Youth Futures Foundation’s research and insights, please click here.

How to Make the Online World Safe

The government has opened a consultation on how technology affects children’s wellbeing, including whether additional measures are needed and what the appropriate age for accessing social media should be. Everyone, including young people, is invited to share their views. To take part in and share the consultation, please click here.

Skills England Surveys 

There are several public surveys currently open to gather feedback on both Apprenticeship Assessment Plans and occupational standards. Responses are used to develop and ensure apprenticeships are viable, high-quality and widely supported.  Each survey takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. For more information, please click here.

Update from NCFE 

NCFE have shared insightful updates on What’s next for EPA in 2026, Reflections from the Post 16 pathways consultation and much more. Take a look at their March content round-up here.

Safeguarding Updates 

ECP Safeguarding have shared some really useful updates this week that you might find helpful. These include the chance to catch up on the AI Risks Uncovered webinar, available to watch until 13 March, as well as information on a range of safeguarding training options, and the latest briefings. For more details, please click here.

World Skills Competition 2026 

WorldSkills UK competitions recognise and celebrate outstanding skills across the country, giving learners the platform to compete, grow, and showcase their talent. Fantastic ready‑to‑use resources are available to help you promote the competitions and motivate learners to get involved. The deadline to register for the competition is 27th March. For more details, please click here.

Multicultural Awards 

Nominations are now open for the Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards, celebrating the achievements of multicultural British apprentices, their employers and training providers. The nomination deadline is Sunday 3rd May. For more information and to submit your nominations, please click here.

Top 100/50 Apprenticeship Employers 

The Government and Higherin have opened nominations for the 2026 Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers and Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employers. Please share this opportunity with the employers you work with and encourage them to check their eligibility and submit an entry before the 1st May. For more information, please click here.