ACSEF (Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future) is launching a series of events designed specifically to inform and educate North-east teachers about the economy in the region and the career opportunities in the key sectors of energy, life sciences, retail and tourism and food and drink.

In a bid to encourage more young people to remain in the region and to meet the future skills’ needs of local industry, ACSEF has teamed up with the directors of education at Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils to design events specifically for head-teachers, guidance teachers and maths and science teachers.

The public private sector partnership’s first event is a dinner to bring together leaders in the energy sector with head-teachers.

The aim of the dinner, to be held in Aberdeen College’s training restaurant, is to give head teachers the opportunity to find out more about the region’s thriving energy sector and the career opportunities within it, as well as debating the knowledge and life skills required by industry.

Sponsored by Maersk Oil, in association with OPITO, the dinner will take place on the 10^th of February 2011.

The second event will be held on 15^th February and is aimed at guidance teachers. Featuring keynote speakers from the energy industry as well as HR professionals and young people with successful careers in energy, the workshop session will make sure that guidance teachers are well aware of the jobs and career paths open to the region’s young people in both the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors. 

“Aberdeen City and Shire has some of the best and most exciting long-term career opportunities in the country, “ explained Melfort Campbell, the champion for ACSEF’s work in skills development.  “It is important that businesses communicate these opportunities to our children’s teachers.

 “Guidance teachers play one of the most significant roles in education today as they help guide our young people towards making the right career choices. To do this job, these teachers need to be fully aware of just what the opportunities are,” said Mr Campbell. “Unfortunately many of them are under the mis-guided impression that the oil and gas sector is not a sustainable industry.  This could not be further from the truth and we must dispel these myths by communicating the high quality jobs on offer and the skills gaps that are looming ahead.”

The third event, for maths and science teachers, will demonstrate how these subjects are put to practical use in oil and gas and energy companies.

This half-day seminar, the date of which is still to be confirmed, will have sessions led by engineers and scientists currently working in local companies and using these subjects to deliver highly innovative solutions to the complex challenges of producing oil and gas and developing new technologies in alternative energy and to develop new products in the food and drink and life sciences industries.

Mr Campbell added: “Businesses continue to report a lack of key skills required by local industry in young people entering the labour market, particularly in terms of life skills. We need our talented young people to be properly equipped for the workplace and to embrace enterprise in a more meaningful way.”

“Through these events, businesses will be able to engage more meaningfully with teachers and find out how they can play their part in helping teachers better equip young people for work. Equally, teachers will find out  more about our region’s key industries and discover how their subjects are used on a daily basis.”