Kent & Medway Careers Hub - Employer Engagement in Kent & Medway

You are here: Home » Resources » Kent & Medway Careers Hub - Employer Engagement in Kent & Medway

Building the Future Workforce: Employer Engagement in Kent & Medway

The Kent & Medway Careers Hub is at the forefront of inspiring and preparing young people for the world of work. By bringing together 168 secondary schools, colleges, special schools, and alternative provisions across the region, alongside employers and strategic partners, the Hub delivers high-quality careers education and tackles local skills gaps. As one of 44 Careers Hubs nationally, co-funded by The Careers & Enterprise Company, The Education People, and Medway Council, the Hub plays a pivotal role in supporting the Government’s vision to improve careers education.

Why Should Businesses Get Involved?

Engaging with the Careers Hub offers businesses a unique opportunity to shape the future talent pipeline, address skills gaps, and inspire the next generation. By working with young people, employers can:

Build the future talent pipeline needed for business growth
Address skills gaps caused by an ageing workforce, technological changes, or demographic shifts
Inspire young people about the world of work and equip them with essential life skills
Give learners a better understanding of industry sectors
Develop and engage the current workforce
Give back to the local community

Benefits for Learners

For learners, employer engagement means increased aspirations, greater awareness of career pathways, and enriched curriculum experiences. This leads to improved attendance, attainment, and attitudes in the classroom, as well as the development of career-readiness and application skills.

Strategic Priorities

The Kent & Medway Careers Hub focuses on three strategic priorities:

Empowering Leadership: Supporting executive leaders and educators to position careers at the heart of education as a driver for whole institution improvement.
Building Partnerships: Facilitating ongoing collaboration between schools, colleges, and local businesses to align skills development with industry needs.
Maximising Impact: Working with employers, business volunteers, and sector bodies to develop new talent pipelines, close skills gaps, and help young people master essential workplace skills.

How Can Employers and Businesses Get Involved?

There are several ways for employers to engage:

Industry Champions: Volunteers from any sector visit schools and colleges to inspire and prepare young people for work through careers fairs, talks, mock interviews, networking events, workplace visits, and work experience. The Careers Hub shares termly requests for businesses to “Give an Hour or Two.”
Enterprise Advisers (EA): Volunteers act as critical friends to schools and colleges, helping shape and deliver strong careers programmes, offering real-world insights, and strategic support to Careers Leaders.
Employer Network Forum: Attend in-person networking meetings to understand key updates, discover new resources, and collaborate with like-minded businesses and education leaders.

Modern Work Experience Guarantee

The Hub supports the government’s “Modern Work Experience” ambition, guaranteeing every secondary school student a minimum of 10 days of high-quality, progressive work-related experiences by Year 11. Employers can showcase initiatives, host workplace visits, set business challenges, and offer staff development opportunities, all while shaping young people’s aspirations and building future talent pipelines.

Get Involved

Businesses and employers interested in making a difference can join the Employer Network Forum, receive updates, event invites, and opportunities for educational engagement. For more information, visit the Kent & Medway Careers Hub website or follow them on LinkedIn.

Find further information and details on the next Employer Network Meetings in the pdf below.

Contact the Hub: