Can you inspire, educate and inform?
The whole electrical industry is being called upon to share knowledge, insights and the reality of roles across the sector to inspire the next generation, in a new campaign from The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP).
Under the launch banner of ‘Light Up Their Imaginations’, the campaign will feature a series of messages aimed at electricians and electrical contracting firms, to encourage them to get on board with a wide choice of activity to promote electrical careers through face-to-face involvement with schools and colleges.
Ranging from simply giving an hour for a careers talk, mentoring or workplace visits, to setting work-based projects and supporting careers events, the opportunities to get involved are varied and can fit around the time that can be spared.
From apprentice electricians to business owners and all roles in between, the campaign is seeking people across all sizes and types of organisation, to highlight the variety of occupations available and the diverse progression that can be achieved once an electrical apprenticeship is completed.
In addition to inspiring students making career choices and supporting those already working towards an electrical career, TESP is also asking electricians to consider helping to teach and assess apprentices, to aid the assessor and tutor shortage also affecting the industry. With the forthcoming introduction of T Levels, the Government is asking employers to support 16-18 year-old students with industrial placements. Teachers will also need greater exposure to industry, to bring students’ learning to life with real-world work examples.
“Attracting enough young people of the right calibre to work in the sector is an increasing challenge which we are working to address with the support of the electrical community,” says Ruth Devine, Chair of TESP and Managing Director of Milton Keynes contracting firm SJD Electrical. “This is an inclusive campaign that calls for heroes from all corners of the industry to step up and play a part in making a change. TESP is working hard to produce relevant careers resources, and we need people at the grass roots to spread the message, share their experiences and feedback to us so we can tailor our future campaigns.
“There are many highly-skilled, passionate people working in this industry; they are best placed to inspire and motivate young people to show what a career in the industry is really like, and what skills and qualities are needed to succeed. We need to encourage wider representation across society too, that means challenging assumptions and stereotypes at an early age. We would love people across the industry to step up and play a role in their local area, however small, to help spark an idea in the minds of tomorrow’s electricians, designers, estimators and contracts managers.”
TESP is initially asking people to look at the range of opportunities to get involved on their website and get in touch to find out how they can take part in their local community.
Visit www.the-esp.org.uk/light-up to find out more