Bridging the Gap - Working strategically with the education community to support skills development in young people
Dan Heffernan & Jess Bates, AtkinsRéalis

With the skills shortage increasing across industry, as well as the challenges in recruiting young, diverse talent. Faithful+Gould and Atkins have taken a new innovative approach this year to look at how they can support the education system and develop a continuous pipeline of talent.

Through their new governance programme they are helping to address the diversity and skills crisis that is endemic in the Engineering sector, whilst also raising aspirations of children and local communities. This directly responds to the concerns raised in the 2020 Atkins Career Deflection Report and the 'Levelling Up' report and is a complete industry strategy that will see this initiative impact a minimum of 18,000 under-represented young people over the next 4 years.

This presentation will detail and offer understanding as to how to embed and leverage meaningful and impactful social value within the procurement process and demonstrate the benefits of working with the Careers and Enterprise Company, Governors for Schools Charity, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Local Authorities across England, in addition to featuring case studies supporting the DfE's new primary school careers programme.