Portsmouth’s ‘golden opportunity’ to support pupils in city’s schools and colleges
A series of jobs, training and volunteering opportunities will take centre stage at Portsmouth Guildhall in a bid to boost employment in the city.
Teach Portsmouth, a Portsmouth City Council initiative to recruit the best professionals for the city’s schools and academies will welcome people to The Teach Portsmouth Jobs and Opportunities Fair on Monday 22 May 2023 from 10am – 2pm.
Located on the first floor, the event will provide people with a range of ‘opportunities’ tailored to their needs. Exhibitors will include local schools, colleges and academies who will promote non-teaching vacancies as well as training providers offering information on apprenticeships and short courses. Visit the Teach Portsmouth website to explore the full list of exhibitors.
Mike Stoneman, deputy director for children, families and education at Portsmouth City Council said:
“Teach Portsmouth has enjoyed early success with their information events to encourage more people to become teaching assistants. We know there is a need to promote other roles within schools and colleges to ensure communities have the people they need.
“This new event will showcase a wide variety of non-teaching jobs across education. Whether that’s supporting pupils in the classroom or managing the front desk at a school, everyone plays a vital part in the learning and development of children and young people.”
Since launching the ‘become a teaching assistant’ events in July 2022, the council has supported employment and training opportunities. This has resulted in 20 people starting English and maths functional skills courses (equivalent to a GCSE qualification) and three people who have started an apprenticeship or a job in a school.
To further extend interest in these roles, a new taster morning scheme was trialled at a recent event with an academy and school. Thinking Schools Academy Trust (TSAT) took part in the trial, resulting in five applications for teaching assistant vacancies and one person being placed as a volunteer.
This partnership will continue with TSAT becoming an official sponsor of the Teach Portsmouth Jobs and Opportunities Fair.
Stuart Gardener, CEO at the Thinking Schools Academy Trust said:
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Teach Portsmouth on the Jobs and Opportunities Fair. We feel it’s a fantastic way to shine a light on the many exciting and rewarding opportunities within the education sector.
“We acknowledge the challenges that schools face when recruiting, but by collaborating with partners, we can attract those who want to start their careers in education sooner. We are excited to meet new people and inspire them to explore opportunities with us.”
Those who attend the fair can also visit the Opportunities Room, a space where presentations take place throughout the day. There will be information on apprenticeships and short courses, how to become a teaching assistant, working in a school if you are an international student and flexible jobs in education.
The event is free to attend but will require people to register for a ticket before arriving. An event ticket gets you entry into the venue and all presentations throughout the day.
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