More Than Just School!

Local training and education providers are running an event in Plymouth’s City Centre on Saturday 19 July to provide free impartial advice and guidance to young people and their parents.

City College Plymouth, UTC Plymouth, Achievement Training and Plymouth College of Art are joining forces to help spread the word that ‘there’s more to life than school’. The event has been organised in response to parents’ concerns about future employment opportunities and the confusion around raising of the participation age, which parents are being led to believe means their children have to stay at school until they are 17.

Phil Davies, Principal of City College Plymouth, said: “There’s a real concern in the City that young people and their parents don’t always get the best advice about post 16 education opportunities. If we are serious about raising aspirations, and helping the economic and social regeneration of our city, then we have to give the young people of Plymouth all the information they need to make decisions about their options. I believe that every young person should be entitled to free and impartial, good quality careers advice and guidance – not least because there are so many different avenues open to them.”

The event, which is being held in a marquee in the City Centre Piazza between 10.00am and 4.00pm on Saturday 19 July, includes a range of activities for people to get their hands dirty whilst trying out some courses. Some of the activities include designing and printing business cards, racing model cars, building a wall, blood pressure monitoring, 3D printing, and play house fun for younger visitors.

Students from Achievement Training and City College will be offering free mini hair and beauty treatments, and performing arts students from City College will be providing live music and entertainment throughout the day.

Mary Cox, Principal of UTC Plymouth, said: “With GCSE results day fast approaching, I would encourage parents to pop along to the event to have a chat with our experienced staff to ensure they are aware of all the options available, both at 14 and 16.

“The raising of the participation age is not about raising the school leaving age, it’s about participating in education and training. In Plymouth young people can now make choices about what and where to study for their GCSE options (Year 10) as well as sixth form (Year 12).

“Highlighting the choices available to young people is a national issue, an issue which is being championed by the Association of Colleges, which is calling on the government to ensure that all young people have access to careers advice on all the post-14 education, training and employment options.”