E4E EXPANDS ITS TEAM IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING DEMAND FOR ITS SERVICES

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 1 February 2017

UPDATED: 1 February 2017

A Derby-based initiative, which links businesses with schools and students in order to raise aspirations and improve employability skills, has expanded its team in order to handle increasing demand for its services from schools across the city.

Paul Makinson and Tracy Goold have joined the team as deputy brokers and are joined by James Wakefield, who has been appointed project co-ordinator.

Paul, joins e4e from Rolls-Royce, where he spent nearly 33 years and also headed-up Rolls-Royce’s team of e4e volunteers. Tracey is currently a teacher at St Benedict Catholic Academy and will be working for e4e one day a week.

During the last academic year, e4e supported close on 6,000 students across 14 city centre secondary schools. The new appointments will enable e4e to expand its programme of activities across the city.

Activities now range from CV writing workshops, mock job interviews, and one-to-one mentoring sessions to industry visits, careers workshops and talks which give young people a better understanding of the career opportunities open to them, raise their aspirations and improves their employability skills along the way.

Speaking of e4e’s success over the past year and the recruitment of the new team members,

Councillor Sarah Russell, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills at Derby City Council, said:

“I’m delighted to welcome Paul, Tracey and James to the busy e4e team. Their experience and knowledge of both the education sector and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) will be invaluable as we continue to expand the range of services that e4e offers.

E4e broker Arshad Iqbal added:

“We now have a team of more than 400 volunteers, but we are always on the look-out for more people to join us. I would encourage anyone who can give just half a day a year of their time to sign up to volunteer and help support Derby’s workforce of the future.”

Commenting on his decision to join the team, Paul Makinson said:

“I’ve been involved with e4e as a volunteer for a number of years now. When I decided it was time for a career change, I knew this would be the perfect fit.

“I’ve a passion for helping young people achieve their aspirations and I know that working on the e4e initiative is going to be a really fulfilling role for me.”

E4e was founded by Derby City Council in November 2014, with a board of directors comprised of representatives from the city’s schools and business community, including major employers Rolls Royce, Bombardier and Toyota and local SMEs.

Its vision is to build a passionate movement that mobilises the local workforce to support pupils and schools in order to help the city’s young people prepare for the world of work.

This involves raising their self-belief, motivation and aspirations, informing them about the wide range of career opportunities available to them and helping them achieve their best by unlocking their true potential.

Any business or individual interested in becoming a volunteer mentor should contact the e4e team on 01332 641622 or e4eteam@derby.gov.uk, or register their interest at

www.enterprise4education.com.

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