Having strengthened its collaboration with the Education and Employers charity earlier in the year to promote their ‘ Inspiring The Future ’ programme , at the end of July the recruitment drive had reached the half-way point of its target , with the latest big industry name to get involved being Liniar .

Inspiring The Future was designed to connect young people with the world of work by encouraging volunteers to visit schools ( in person or virtually ) to help inform youngsters about the possibilities for their future careers and what they could achieve should they join the industry . The renewed collaboration is seen by Building Our Skills as key in helping to acquaint school age children , and their teachers with the fenestration industry , and to communicate to them the broad range of job roles and career paths it offers .

The campaign connects volunteers to state primary and secondary schools via its free match-making platform . Volunteers are asked to give up just one hour a year to the programme , although they can do more if they would like to to help inspire children . The first step is to register for the programme on the Building

Our Skills website and complete a very simple form . Teachers who have signed their schools up to the programme can see details of the volunteer and where they are based , and then invite them to talk to their school about the job they do and the industry they do it in .

Invitations for in person school visits are based around volunteers being local to the school in question , whereas virtual visits can be delivered from anywhere in the UK . Volunteers are supported by the Inspiring the Future team and are given access to training videos as well as training webinars and forums should they wish . Building Our Skills will provide key facts and figures for volunteers to use about the industry itself .

Building Our Skills has highlighted the Education Sector as the single most important area for the industry to focus on to raise awareness of the opportunities it offers and to inspire future generations to look to Fenestration , Glass and Glazing as a career of

choice . Partnerships Manager for Building Our Skills , Mark Handley , says :

“ We are delighted to have reached the half way point of our target and I urge the fenestration industry to acknowledge the need to get more involved with schools and colleges . Working with Inspiring The Future is a great approach to attracting new talent to the industry . It ’ s a fantastic opportunity to be able to show youngsters the vast range of career opportunities they could aspire to , long before they reach the age when they have to decide . Helping teachers and parents – who are key influencers in this process – to inspire young people to understand what future options are open to them is something that will benefit the fenestration , glass and glazing industry greatly . We all recognise that the industry is facing a skills shortage , and this campaign is designed to offer a long-term solution .

Katy Langham , Director of Operations and Programmes for Inspiring the Future adds :

“ We ’ re delighted to have strengthened our partnership with Building Our Skills to get volunteers from the industry out into schools and talking to young people about the exciting careers that it offers . I too would like to urge employers and employees in the sector to come forward and volunteer . It ’ s incredibly rewarding , and I can promise volunteers that they won ’ t regret it .”

Building Our Skills ’ immediate aim is to get 50 industry volunteers to sign up to support the campaign and to grow it from there . It is perfect for anybody in the industry , in whatever role , who wants to play a part in making a difference and raising the profile of the industry to make Fenestration , Glass and Glazing a Career of Choice for future generations .

Those interested in

volunteering can do

so by visiting here

https :// buildingourskills .

co . uk / campaigns /

inspiring-the-future /

16 SEPTEMBER 2022

CLEARVIEW-UK . COM