University part of new town centre hub to boost careers in Charnwood

A Careers and Enterprise Hub has opened its doors in the heart of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ to help local people enhance their skills to access the careers market, progress in their existing careers or launch a new business idea.

The Hub, which is run by specialist advisors from º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ and º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College, has opened thanks to a £750,000 funding boost through the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal.

It is understood to be among the first projects in the UK to be completed using money from the Government’s Town Deal scheme, which is designed to help regenerate town centres, boost businesses and improve infrastructure and connectivity.

The Hub teams will offer advice, guidance and support to help people develop their skills to boost the local and regional economy as it bounces back from the impact of Covid.

A º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ team will provide expert support to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch a new business.

The University’s Professor Chris Rielly said: “The Careers and Enterprise Hub represents a really exciting opportunity to equip individuals with new skills, enabling them to build businesses which are ‘fit for the future’, agile, focused on emerging markets and committed to scaleup and growth.

“The University’s presence in the Hub will build on the success of our existing business incubator LU Inc., based on the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP). We look forward to supporting early-stage new businesses emerging in the region, working with local partners to drive growth, employment opportunities and regeneration.”

The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College team is supporting local people by advising them on education and training pathways to boost their skills.

Jo Maher, Principal & CEO of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ College, said: “We are proud to be officially opening the Careers and Enterprise Hub in the heart of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ to help unlock the potential and career aspirations of local people in our community.

“We’re delighted to be working with our partners, including º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ, to deliver this ambitious project as part of the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal. The Careers and Enterprise Hub perfectly positions the College to support the town’s skills-led recovery from Covid-19.”

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal is a partnership of local organisations including Charnwood Borough Council, the College, University and others, including local businesses. The Council bought the building with £750,000 of Town Deal funding which was awarded last year. However, the final º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal bid submitted to Government is for £25 million.

Cllr Jonathan Morgan, co-chair of the º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal Board and Leader of Charnwood Borough Council, said: “I am pleased º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal is already playing a key role in the recovery of the area. Developing skills and learning new ones are going to be so important for local people as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The hub also takes an empty building in a key central location and gives it a new lease of life.” 

Dr Nik Kotecha, co-chair of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ Town Deal Board, said: “I welcome the opening of the hub which highlights a key theme of our Town Deal bid which is to bring our communities closer to the expertise and knowledge we have in the town, such as the college and the university. By doing this we can improve the lives of residents and support businesses in the area and the local economy.”

Minister for Employment Mims Davies MP said: “I’m delighted to attend the official opening of the new Careers and Enterprise Hub. This is still a challenging time for many people, but through the Government’s Plan for Jobs and our Town Deal Scheme, we’re helping level up opportunity across the country by supporting people, at any age and any stage, to progress as we push to build back better.”

As well as education and training, the Hub team can advise on CV and letter writing, plus helping people sharpen their interview skills.

For opening times and more information, please visit www.loucoll.ac.uk/careers-hub and to book a visit, email the team at careershub@loucoll.ac.uk.

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: PR 21/83

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2021 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in the Guardian University League Table 2021, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 6th in The UK Complete University Guide 2021.

º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

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