Professionals across Greater Manchester invited to become Enterprise Advisers for the city-region’s young people

Business professionals from across the city-region are being invited to volunteer as Enterprise Advisers to help guide young people in Greater Manchester into their future careers.

Enterprise Advisers partner with local schools and colleges to dispel sector misconceptions, raise the profile of their industry and connect young people to experiences of the workplace, ultimately widening talent pipelines. They also work closely with Careers Leads to inform careers strategies, ensuring they are reflective of the current labour market and highlight routes into work for students by bridging the gap between education and industry.

There are currently more than 200 Enterprise Advisers in the city-region supporting mainstream and SEND schools as well as further education institutions, however, Greater Manchester leaders are seeking more volunteers to ensure all young people have equal access to excellent careers provision and opportunities.

Speaking at a recent event held to celebrate the efforts of Enterprise Advisers in the city-region, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said:

“Since 2016, our Enterprise Adviser network has been creating links between education settings and employers.

“Their insights give young people access to real-world perspectives and identify the various pathways they could take to reach their career aspirations.

“The more that our young people have interactions with up-to-date knowledge of the workplace, the greater the likelihood that they will find their way and a position that inspires them.

“As part of the Trailblazer Devolution Deal, we will have further oversight of post-16 technical skills, allowing us to better shape how we support young people in Greater Manchester who do not want to go to university and match them into the skilled jobs being created in the local economy.

“Our Enterprise Advisers are doing amazing work inside a system that isn’t currently fit for purpose, so imagine what they could do with an integrated system reflective of the needs of our young people.”

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) works with organisations to recruit Enterprise Advisors (which can meet part of a business’ social value ambitions), or volunteers can sign up individually.

Volunteers are asked to commit to two hours or more of their time per month for at least one academic year. GMCA also provides dedicated support, guiding volunteers and connecting them with a collaborative support network of other Advisers across Greater Manchester.

All volunteers are part of GMCA Careers Hub, which is a community of more than 200 secondary schools, colleges and further education institutions across the city-region supporting around 200,000 young people aged 11 to 19. The Hub is managed by GMCA in partnership with the Careers and Enterprise Company.

Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Greater Manchester’s lead for Education, Work, Skills, Apprenticeships and Digital said:

“The change in Greater Manchester’s economy is thriving and we need to ensure that we continue to bring through the talent in order to keep building that change.  

“The Enterprise Adviser network is critical to supporting that through expert insights, leading to positive impacts. 

“Volunteers themselves also benefit as this experience provides a unique professional development opportunity to them. In our last survey to Greater Manchester’s young people, 75% of Year 10 students said they felt in control of their future education, training and job prospects** and we’re confident that the integral role of Enterprise Advisers has contributed to this success.”