All Change for Skills and Employment at Festival of Change

With skills not just important to young people embarking on their career path, but to the development of a strong regional economy for the future, getting the right support and making the right connections to do so is essential. This week, BCIMO was proud to host a transformative event dedicated to empowering young adults to begin building those skills delivered by Powered by CAN.

The Festival of Change was designed as a platform for young adults in the West Midlands region to connect with a range of individuals and organisation who can help them, to learn both about the opportunities available to them and about themselves, their abilities and their aspirations, and, with support including from each other, to grow together. Attendees had the scope to explore future-focused issues and thus career pathways, and to develop a broad portfolio of transferable skills while networking with a diverse range of employers, specifically dedicated to investing in the potential of young people, including through mentorship.

Powered by CAN further designed it to be an immersive experience, which combined an agenda of engaging and inspirational speakers with the potential to explore careers and skills through a series of interactive workshops; alongside a ‘marketplace’ of opportunities, to include support and training providers. The event attracted more than eighty young people aged 16-24 from the Black Country and wider West Midlands region and encompassed the entirety of the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre’s second floor, including the Exhibition Hall, Auditorium and meeting rooms, providing a large flexible space for the hosts and visitors to use.

Beginning with a formal introduction, the spirit and energy of the event was clearly evident, with performances, speakers, awards and panel discussions, focused on sparking the aspirations of the young people in the room; whilst the break gave them time to speak to the organisations in the Hall. These included the National Careers Service, Job Centre Plus, Street League, Netcom, Jamo, Gateway to Achieve, Nova and Sandwell College, the latter of whom were also selling cakes made by students. Amongst those with a stand were also NIS, who are resident at the VLRNIC, delivering training in rail sector skills through the Transport, Rail and Infrastructure Academy (TRIA), in partnership with Wolverhampton College.

In addition to information and the inevitable inspiration, it was also a key aim of the event to allow the young people to get ‘up close and personal’ with a range of skills and thus future career paths through interactive workshops, which were delivered across the Centre. These included in photography and videography, creative writing, collaborative art, graphic design and sports coaching for the morning session; whilst, in the afternoon, they had a further opportunity to experience workshops on aspects of business, such as social media, enterprise, event planning, networking, and social action and community engagement.

And whilst it was definitely an insight into the plethora of careers available to young people, it was also a reminder that the scope of roles within traditional industries such as rail likewise includes significant options for all creative skills and interests. This could include the planning of transport systems or infrastructure, the design of landmark buildings – such as the VLRNIC – or rolling stock, and the marketing and promotion of products and services, to name but a few. It also encompasses roles that are emerging, such as new technologies like AI, or indeed those that are yet to emerge; and this is where creativity will really be needed, as the young people of today become the leaders of tomorrow.

Leah Anderson, Service Coordinator (Next Generation Now) at Powered by CAN, said:

“A huge thank you to BCIMO for hosting our event. The staff were very accommodating and helpful. Although the snow was a worry, measures were taken to ensure everyone was safe and it made for a very beautiful backdrop!

The venue was a great change of scenery for our young people, and the space worked really well considering we held several workshops, an employer marketplace, and not to forget inflatable axe throwing! Would definitely recommend and use again.”

BCIMO’s Event Manager, Helena Davies, also reflecting on the event, said:

“It was fantastic to see all of Level 2’s Meeting & Event spaces used for such a wonderful purpose. From inflatable axe throwing and boxing to photography and social media, the Powered by CAN event gave the young people in attendance the chance to gain insight into potential career opportunities, with a selection of training providers and local businesses also being on hand to discuss opportunities… it was a real feel-good event!”

For more information on BCIMO or the VLRNIC, please visit the BCIMO website or click Contact Us to make an enquiry / sign up to our mailing list.