Preparing young people for work
The Getting Work Ready project aims to ensure that pupils across Ashfield and Mansfield have the skills and experiences employers need for the modern economy. It’s phase three of the Getting Ready Programme, and is based on the ongoing work of the Mansfield and Ashfield Education and Skills Group, which has undertaken research with educators and businesses in the community to identify opportunities to raise educational standards and develop skills across the area.
NTU’s Project Lead is PhD candidate Stuart Greensmith White. For Stuart, the project is a personal one.
“I've used my experience of living, working, growing up in the Ashfield area, and I'm going to be looking at young people's experiences and the intergenerational family influence,” Stuart explains.
He is seeking to understand what support is available to young people prior to, during and following the transition from education to employment. The hope is that by better understanding these progression routes for young people and identifying the challenges they face, the project group will be well placed to influence local policy and practice in order to reduce or eliminate these obstacles.
Privilege
“We’re looking for stories and we’re going to use these as part of the project to influence local policy and hopefully build on transitions and improve those for the future,” he says. “This was something that I probably didn’t think I’d ever actually get the chance to do. I’ve come from a very nontraditional background. I don’t actually have a bachelor’s degree, but I have come through an apprenticeship route, which is where I got my academic qualifications."
“It’s a huge privilege to be able to take the time to research, to build your own knowledge, build yourself as a person, and ultimately to have a real impact on my hometown and where I grew up."