Quickline helping bring careers to life for learners
LEARNING RESOURCE: Quickline’s Dan Moore features on the engineering insight section of its careers insight platform
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
Rural broadband provider Quickline is celebrating the first year of its career insight platform, a free digital resource helping people across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire explore career opportunities, build skills and gain insight into the world of work.
Launched during National Careers Week last year in partnership with creative education specialist Engaging Education, the platform has since been shared with schools, colleges and learning providers across the region by Quickline’s social value team.
The interactive platform gives users the opportunity to explore careers in areas including engineering, HR, marketing and data analysis through videos, professional insights, quizzes and challenges.
While designed primarily for students aged 13 to 19, the resource has proven adaptable for a wide range of learners, from pupils in secondary education and specialist schools through to young adults seeking employment via community organisations and job centres.
Over the past year the platform has been delivered through workshops and careers activities in a variety of educational settings. Most recently it formed part of a digital skills workshop delivered by East Yorkshire-based Quickline at Options School in North Lincolnshire, a specialist provision supporting autistic students, during the school’s careers week.
Carol Botterill, deputy headteacher at Options School, said: “It was such a valuable experience for our young people to learn about the range of careers at Quickline, whilst supporting development of digital literacy skills and online safety.”
The portal has also been delivered at Bridlington School, where 58 students who were unable to access an in-person work experience placement were able to take part in virtual work experience using the platform during school hours. The activity introduced students to opportunities within the digital and telecommunications sectors while helping them build their understanding of the workplace.
DEVELOPMENT: Social values lead for East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Ashleigh Cane presenting the careers insight platform
Students at Leeds City College, Castleford Academy, York College and Woldgate School in Pocklington have also benefited from the provision in recent months along with Westfield School, Sheffield and Campsmount Academy in Doncaster.
Rachel Bowerman, Quickline’s social value manager, said: “Over the past year we’ve seen how adaptable this platform can be, supporting a wide range of learners as they explore future opportunities. From young people just beginning to think about their careers to adults looking for new employment pathways, it helps bring real-world careers to life.
“We’re particularly proud to see it being used in such varied settings, including specialist schools, helping ensure that career inspiration and information is accessible to as many people as possible.”
Following updated government careers guidance published last year, schools are now expected to arrange a week of careers-related activities for pupils prior to the traditional work experience placement in Year 10.
Rachel added: “Our platform is a good fit for helping schools meet Gatsby benchmarks, and we’d love to see it being utilised, especially as it’s so easy to access and can be completed in the classroom or set as homework.”
The Careers Insight Platform is free for educational establishments across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and forms part of Quickline’s wider social value commitment through Project Gigabit, the UK Government programme delivering lightning-fast, reliable broadband to rural communities that would otherwise miss out on commercial broadband investment.
Schools, colleges and organisations interested in accessing the platform or requesting the pitch booklet outlining the content can contact Quickline’s social value team for more information.