Inspiring a generation

inspiring a generation

The future is about promoting skills to young people and connecting them with UK business. There is a growing and urgent need to ensure that our nation inspires talented individuals to find their way into the world of work, developing the skills of young people so that UK business can thrive in the international arena.

Find a Future provides that platform, bringing our skills system and the world of work together to develop and deliver a talented workforce. Our unique, experiential model creates opportunities for young people, their parents and teachers, to engage with businesses and to form essential relationships that are proven to inspire.

The Skills Show takes careers advice out of the classroom and brings it to life by demonstrating the huge range of work and career options available. The Skills Show Experience replicates that model, working with collaborative regional partnerships to respond to local labour market needs. WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions are driving ever increasing standards in both student and teacher, inspiring more young people to be ambitious in their pursuit of skills to the highest level.

Through our core products, Find a Future has built exciting and dynamic relationships with sector partners, colleges, training providers, schools and employers. With the continued support of the further education sector, our commercial partners and funders, we will continue to find the future talent that is essential to the continuing economic recovery, and inspire a new generation of skilled workers for the success of our nation.

what we do

In October 2011, London played host to WorldSkills London 2011, the world’s

largest, international vocational skills competition, celebrating the talents of young

people on a global stage. The Skills Show emerged from the WorldSkills London

2011 legacy, establishing itself as the nation’s largest skills and careers event.

Now in its third year, The Skills Show has become the benchmark for careers advice

and guidance in the twenty-first century. The show offers experiential activities

which inspire young people to explore careers, giving them the opportunity to

talk directly to employers and educators about their future. The Skills Show is the

culmination of over 60 WorldSkills UK national skills competitions, staging the finals

and providing a platform for the performance of the best of the nation’s young

talent.

In April 2014, the new organisation, Find a Future, was created to combine the

resources and ambitions of The Skills Show and its local programme The Skills Show

Experience with WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions. Find a Future exists in order

to provide every young person with the chance to unlock their potential and get

excited about the world of work, using hands-on experiential activities and skills

competitions that are proven to inspire, enable and influence the next generation.

Building on the success of these three products, we want more young people to

know what they are great at and the opportunities that are available to them, so

the UK remains a leader in skills. By giving employers direct access to the diversity

of talent they need, we will enable their businesses to flourish and our nation to

prosper.

Find a Future recently announced that the NEC Birmingham would be the host

venue for The Skills Show for a further two years. Combine that with a very strong

Squad UK looking forward to competing at WorldSkills São Paulo 2015, and the

future of skills and vocational training in the UK looks bright. We want to thank

all our supporters who have helped us to deliver on our promise to inspire young

people and change their lives, and we look forward to helping many more to Find

a Future.

Carole Stott MBE

Ross Maloney

Chair, Find a Future

Chief Executive, Find a Future

new for 2014new show areas

To make the structure of the show really accessible, we now feature five key skills areas for competitions and all the show content: The Building (construction and built environment), The Studio (creative and cultural careers), The Street (retail, beauty, cooking and professional services), The Works (engineering and manufacturing) and The Business (IT and business administration).

hubs

Acting as the beating heart of each area, the Hubs are the focal point for visitors, offering an integrated bite-sized snapshot of the show. Focusing on four skills areas, the Hubs bring together a range of interactive and engaging activities including Have a Go experiences, Spotlight Stages, Feature Exhibitors and Careers Advice.

The nation’s largest skills and careers eventThe NEC Birmingham 13 to 15 November 2014

The Skills Show is the place to be inspired and learn about a vast variety of new skills, vocational training and further education. The show is free to attend, attracting well over 75,000 people annually including primary, secondary school and college students, adult learners, teachers and other learning professionals, families, employers and business leaders.

heLping Young peopLe and Young aduLtsfind their future

worLdsKiLLs uK sKiLLs CoMpetitions

More than 550 young people taking part in over 60 national finals, aiming to be the best of the best.

spotLight stages

Providing accessible, expert advice for visitors, more than a 100 Spotlight talks give young people the chance to hear from real people doing real jobs, while famous names from the world of business offer inspiration and insight into their own success.

Careers adViCe

Real hands-on experience with expert careers advice, all under one roof. Visitors can get inspired and involved with a skill, and immediately find out how to turn that interest into a vocation.

MYsKiLLsshow.CoM

This vital web-based resource provides visitors with the chance to plan their day at the show and access great resources afterwards, to help find their next steps.

feature eXhibitors

Over 40 Feature Exhibitors are a focal point to the Hubs, offering a direct insight into the heart of industry through experiential activity, delivered by a range of our industry partners.

the sKiLLs passportThis new interactive element to the show provides a fun and structured guide to help visitors get the most out of the show with the chance to win great prizes, and encourages them to return to myskillssshow.com and help find their future.

oVer 45 haVe a go eXperienCes

These core activities take place throughout the show, giving visitors the opportunity to get hands-on and try something they may never have done before, from plumbing to criminology.

showCase

New for 2014, eleven Showcase Stages bring the competitions to life, using demonstrations and peer-to-peer guidance provided by colleges and training providers with expertise across 31 skills areas.

13-15 November 2014

The NEC Birmingham

TSS_Passport2014-AW2.indd 1

28/10/2014 16:45

inspirationaL show Content

Careers eduCation Zone in partnership with

As a direct response to the increased responsibility for parents and teachers to provide expert careers advice to young people, the Careers Education Zone provides visitors with the resources and information they really need to best support and inspire young people.

The dedicated space brings together the UK leaders in Careers Education in one place, helping parents, teachers, lecturers and careers professionals to network and share experiences, as well as hear from innovative speakers and talk to experts in the field of careers advice.

the sKiLLs show Latein partnership with

New for 2014, The Skills Show Late offers an opportunity for employers, stakeholders and teachers to sample the show in an exclusive setting.

Visitors see highlights of the show, have the opportunity to take part in a number of Have a Go experiences, engage with a forward thinking panel discussion and hear from special guest speakers. Young people will participate in the evening, to bring to life the impact and excitement of the show.

VoCationaL eduCation and training ConferenCein partnership with

With renewed business confidence and stronger growth in the UK economy, the VET (Vocational Education and Training) Conference at The Skills Show provides an opportunity for employers, teachers and trainers to champion the importance of skills in sustaining growth and wider prosperity in the UK.

The VET conference has become an ‘annual drumbeat’ for the movement to raise the status and improve the quality and impact of vocational education and training. The conference in 2014 provides a forum for dialogue and action to strengthen the UK vocational education and training system, focusing on how to build professional and technical skills for the future.

The success of Find a Future events and competitions is only possible with the amazing support of a huge team of volunteers

the sKiLLs show

for teaChers, parents andstaKehoLders

eMpLoYabiLitY and trainingour seCret weapon: VoLunteers

VoLunteering aCross the nation

Each of the 280 Skills Show Experience events to date have enabled volunteers to engage nationwide. The Skills Show on the Road was further supported by volunteers who benefited from training for their roles and being involved with the national campaign.

Mentored Visitor prograMMe

The Mentored Visitor programme aims to provide support for 100 young people who are particularly disadvantaged in the labour market. The programme consists of four weeks mentoring, focusing on their individual goals and aspirations. A positive progression into work is then more likely following their structured visit and participation in The Skills Show.

The Volunteer Programme and the Mentored Visitor programme are funded by the European Social Fund.

eMpLoYabiLitY and deVeLopMent prograMMe

Find a Future’s Employability and Development Programme uses training and volunteering at our events, particularly The Skills Show, to link employers and other sponsors together with young people. This engagement with our volunteers offers opportunities across the country in further training or employment.

Focusing on helping those who engage with this programme to become ‘work ready’ and complete accredited qualifications, The Skills Show volunteer training programme is designed to enhance volunteers confidence and customer service skills. The ‘Sign Up Saturday’ event at The Skills Show also offers employers the chance to meet with our volunteers face to face and ensure current vacancies are available to them.

The Employability and Development Programme is a constructive way to help shape a positive future for many of the young individuals who volunteer at our events.

Volunteering is a fantastic opportunity for motivated and talented individuals to be part of a range of events including The Skills Show, The Skills Show Experience and other Find a Future events taking place nationally.

At The Skills Show the Show Team Volunteers learn new skills whilst working alongside the delivery team. So far, from 2011 to 2013, more than 3,000 volunteers have been involved with the show. For 2014, a further 1,000 volunteers from across the country will deliver more than 20,000 hours of volunteering, also benefitting from the opportunity to work towards a City & Guilds award.

‘It’s about work…Professional and Technical Skills for the Future’

‘Volunteering at The Skills Show was an amazing experience, I have never done anything like it. I would thoroughly encourage anyone to volunteer at The Skills Show as it is a unique opportunity.’ Ryan, The Skills Show volunteer, aged 18.

‘The best thing was talking to people doing the job who are their age and talk their language. My son is a changed person after the show. He now knows what he wants in life. FAB!’Chris, Parent

Our experiential events and competitions reach out to young people and young adults across the nation, helping to shape their futures and transform their lives.worLdsKiLLs uK sKiLLs CoMpetitions

WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions inspire young adults to pursue skills to the highest level. During 2014, over 4,000 people from industry and education registered to take part nationally in the WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions, to compete for medals at the finals held at The Skills Show.

the sKiLLs show

The Skills Show, the nation’s largest skills and careers event, is helping to shape the future of a new generation. Attracting over 75,000 visitors, the show provides hands-on experiences that inspire young people to explore further education, skills and apprenticeships.

the sKiLLs show eXperienCe

The nationwide model has seen more than 200 events take place across the country, inspiring young people with direct engagement with employers at a local level. This model is how we extend the influence and vision of The Skills Show.

our highLights

Over 280 The Skills Show Experience events have taken place across the nation

Over 230 National Careers Service advisersOver 1,700 local employers engaged To date 87,000 visitors have been inspired

Over 2,800 hands- on Have a Go experiences90% of visitors enjoyed their experience

83% are more likely to pursue vocational education as a result of attending

1,000 training providers and FE organisations

Over 4,000 registrations during 2014 for the WorldSkills UK Competitions

The UK is currently ranked fifth in Europe

three goLd and siX siLVer medals at EuroSkills Lille 2014

George Callow and Ashley Terron, goLd MedaLLists at WorldSkills Leipzig 2013, were recognised

and also awarded the British eMpire MedaL for their services to skills

Over 600 finalists competed in the WorldSkills UK National Skills Competition finals

54% of young people before the Show and 62% after The Skills Show in 2013

would consider pursuing skills-based education in the future

Over 75,000 visitors attend The Skills Show

16,000 parents, children and families, over 350 college groups and 500 schoolssend student groups to The Skills Show

More than 240 businesses engaged with The Skills Show

2,500 staff from sponsors and exhibitors ensured the smooth delivery of the show

in the Queen’s 2014 birthdaY honours List

WorldSkills UK Skills Competitions inspire people to be ambitious in their pursuit of skills to the highest level

worLdsKiLLs uK sKiLLs CoMpetitions

‘Team UK are ambassadors for our country and demonstrate how high quality apprenticeships can lead to successful careers. I offer my congratulations to Team UK who delivered an outstanding performance at EuroSkills 2014.’Nick Boles, Minister of State for Skills and Equalities

‘I have been competing in WorldSkills UK Competitions for three years and to have been selected for Team UK at EuroSkills was an achievement. But to go to the competition and win gold out of 17 countries is just amazing!’Danny Hoang, Gold Medal, Cooking, EuroSkills Lille 2014

‘I’ve recently been offered a job as a result of my involvement with WorldSkills UK. This shows the importance of Competitions in helping competitors gain the knowledge and skills that employers are looking for.’ John Peerles, Mechatronics, Squad UK WorldSkills São Paulo 2015

Designed to enable participants to develop outstanding skills in a range of industries, the competitions drive up levels of expertise across vocational education and apprenticeships.

In 2014, over 4,000 people registered to compete in the competitions, the finals of which take place at The Skills Show. Finalists compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, each of them hoping to be named the UK Champion in their chosen skill.

Those competitors who triumph at The Skills Show may be invited to compete for a place in Team UK for WorldSkills, the world’s largest international Competition held every two years in cities around the globe.

The next WorldSkills international competition takes place in São Paulo, Brazil from 11 to 16 August 2015 and the UK’s most talented apprentices and learners, who competed in The Skills Show 2012, are already in training for the competition. As part of this training, a number of the apprentices and learners competed as Team UK at EuroSkills Lille 2014, Europe’s largest skills competition. They delivered an amazing result, winning three Gold and six

Silver medals and three Medallions for Excellence. Taking part in international competitions enables the UK to benchmark its apprenticeship and training programmes against those in other countries worldwide. It is our ambition that our apprenticeships and vocational education sector will be world class, ensuring that programmes are rigorous and responsive to the needs of employers and the economy.

The new generation of kids are very talented and I want to see them maximise their potential. I encourage people to get down to The Skills Show events because you’re able to get hands-on with so many different things.’ Wretch 32, The Skills Show on the Road ambassador

‘Our target market is teachers, students and businesses. So having everyone here in one place in one day has just been amazing. We’ve… spoken to so many people and raised so much awareness; it’s just been phenomenal.’Barclays LifeSkills, 2013 partner

For more information on how your organisation can engage with

the sKiLLs show 19-21 November 2015, the NEC Birmingham

and Find a Future’s other products in 2015 and beyond, please contact us on

020 3740 8232 or email [email protected]

The Skills Show is more than just an annual

event. In 2013 we developed The Skills Show

Experience to take our unique experiential model

around the country. Featuring more than 220

events, in conjunction with local partnerships

including Further Education colleges across

England, we will have reached an estimated

200,000 additional young people by the end of

December 2014 and aim to reach more in 2015.

Supported by the European Social Fund (ESF)and

National Careers Service (NCS), the programme

has already had significant impact at local level,

providing support to schools, colleges and local

communities in filling gaps in careers education,

as well as giving young people inspiration and

guidance to make informed choices. The NCS

provides careers advisers at all of the events,

giving advice and highlighting local employers and

vacancies to young people.

The Skills Show on the Road

In addition, the national roadshow has taken

our ambition further. In partnership with National

Express, our bespoke coach travelled the country

encouraging young people to try the Skills

Challenge – a bite-sized version of The Skills

Show. The roadshow has also been supported

by the ESF, NCS and City & Guilds who provided

employer speed-dating sessions. Visitors were also

offered the opportunity to express themselves on

our ‘My Self, My Future’ pop-up stage. After a

highly successful tour there are plans to take the

coach around the country again in 2015.

the sKiLLs show

eXperienCearound the CountrY

The numbers speak for themselves. The Skills Show offers all of our sponsors and partners unprecedented access to tomorrow’s talent and the opportunity to showcase their support of further education, skills and apprenticeships.

The value of partnering with Find a Future has been recognised by more than 240 companies including:

Whether you are looking to engage with potential employees, shape the skills debate or raise your profile, The Skills Show offers a unique platform to access tens of thousands of talented and motivated young people. Sponsors and partners are critical to the success of The Skills Show, and only with your valued support are we able to deliver a show of this scale and quality, which reaches out to young people to help the next generation to find a future.

You are invited to put your organisation at the heart of what we do. Come and get involved.

Present your organisation in an unrivalled events space Deliver inspirational talks Create engaginag experiential content Sponsor an entire sector feature Speak to us about our wide variety of packages which are

designed to match any aim, target group or level of investment.

get inVoLVed75,000 visitors, 60,000m2 of floor space, over 1000 schools and colleges

Funding partnersPremier sponsorsLead premier sponsor

Our supportersWe would like to thank all of our sponsors, partners and exhibitor supporters.

Supporters are shown at their highest level of involvement.

Official sponsors

Competition organising partners

Feature exhibitors

Senior sponsor Careers Education Zone sponsor

Partners

Spotlight sponsors

Media partners

Have a Go Experience sponsors

creative

The National Voice for Lifelong Learning

Buck &Hickman

Lead competition sponsors

Competition sponsors

growing business success A BBA Aviation company

Paint Spray BoothsROOFING

Funding partnersPremier sponsorsLead premier sponsor

Our supportersWe would like to thank all of our sponsors, partners and exhibitor supporters.

Supporters are shown at their highest level of involvement.

Official sponsors

Competition organising partners

Feature exhibitors

Senior sponsor Careers Education Zone sponsor

Partners

Spotlight sponsors

Media partners

Have a Go Experience sponsors

creative

The National Voice for Lifelong Learning

Buck &Hickman

Lead competition sponsors

Competition sponsors

growing business success A BBA Aviation company

Paint Spray BoothsROOFING

Our supportersWe would like to thank all our sponsors, partners and exhibitor supporters

Supporters are shown at their highest level of involvement

To join up to our stakeholder newsletter please email [email protected]

Find a FutureFloor Four, 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SPT +44 (0)845 475 1500E [email protected] www.findafuture.org.uk

Find a Future is registered in England at the above address, charity number 1001586, company number 02535199, VAT registration number GB945610716

@skillsshow

/SkillsShow

See the video of the nation’s largest skills and careers event www.theskillsshow.com/get-involved