Supporting the local workforce of the future is a key priority for us as a business in 2023 which is why we’ve signed up to Team Doncaster’s pioneering education initiative, Doncaster Promise. Here, Stewart Olsen, ORB’s group CEO, explains more.
The Doncaster Promise, organised by Team Doncaster but delivered by Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, is an agreement between local business and education to support the borough’s plan to build a growing, productive and inclusive local economy.
It's an important pledge that is signed by both commercial and educational organisations in the region that aims to get schools, colleges, businesses and public sector partners all working together in support of our local young people.
Vision
The Chamber’s vision for this initiative is clear:
We need to create a high performing Education and Skills system that provides learners of all ages with the skills they requite to prosper in a growing, inclusive local economy and in a globalised world.
We will do this by maximising social capital through technology, community assets and by forging strong relationships with business to create a hybrid model of learning, with industry-driven career pathways that meet employer needs and ensures everybody has the opportunity to develop skills which fulfil their aspirations.
But to meet this aim our learning institutions, businesses and public sector need to come together like never before.
Committed approach
As a signatory, we are demonstrating our commitment to collaboration and providing the next generation with the skills they need to prosper later on in life and, in the process, nurture a more skilled and aspirational workforce for Doncaster. As a business, we want to contribute by creating meaningful encounters between young people and business to develop industry-driven, career pathways that better meet employer needs.
Here at ORB, we have so far welcomed two students on work experience placements so they could get real-life job experience in the recruitment sector. This went really well for the students but also for us as we learnt such a lot about them and the support they need from an employer to succeed. In the coming year, we also hope to expand our work experience program and bring in even more students to help them gain valuable skills and knowledge in their chosen field.
One of the students was looking to gain experience in a working business. She was able to observe and assist our team with various tasks, including posting job listings, screening resumes, and updating our CRM. The student was eager to learn and quickly picked up on several administrative skills. The second student was looking to gain hands-on experience in a corporate setting and was able to assist with various aspects of our recruitment process, including creating job descriptions, and managing our database and communications.
In addition to gaining real-life job experience, both students were able to build their professional networks and learn from experienced professionals in the field. We also provided guidance and mentorship throughout the placement, which helped to build their confidence and hopefully helped to set them up for success in their future careers.
At ORB, we believe in giving back to our community and providing opportunities for young people to gain valuable skills and experience. That's why we are committed to expanding our work experience program and giving even more students the opportunity to learn from our team of experts. We are excited to see where these students will go in the future and are honoured to have played a role in their professional development and work experience.
Demonstrating the benefits
By showcasing the benefits of being involved in this initiative, we are aiming to highlight what we are doing and hopefully encourage other organisations of all shapes and sizes to follow our lead. As a business community if we can work collectively together to engage with education and skills, that in turn means we can help to nurture Doncaster’s future workforce and develop a pipeline of talent in the region.
There are exciting plans to develop the Promise further this year to build on the work already done and to really drive this area of work forward. Keep an eye out on the Doncaster Chamber’s news channels for more details.