Thousands of young people in Surrey have been inspired and fired up about their futures thanks to the 2024 Surrey Festival of Skills. 

From supercars to snakes, cooking masterclasses to computer game demonstrations, there were opportunities galore for students to explore at the Surrey County Council event.

More than 2,000 students aged 14 to 18 packed into Surrey Sports Park in Guildford. They could meet, great and connect with dozens of employers, universities, FE colleges and training providers. 

The aim was to showcase the fantastic opportunities on offer to them in Surrey, both now and in the future. 

Highlights included hairdressing masterclasses, samosa making, VR headsets and a McLaren supercar. 

There were also animals aplenty – with snakes, stick insects and lizards joined by a horse-riding simulator and robotic dog. 

Young people who attended the free event described it as “impactful”, “rewarding” and “fantastic”. 

Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County Council, opened the event. He said: “Now in its second year, the Surrey Festival of Skills is a fantastic platform for organisations across the county to showcase the array of opportunities available to our young people.

“Surrey has a vibrant and diverse economy, built on foundations of innovation and collaboration. We’re committed to working with public and private partners to grow our economy further while delivering benefits to our communities. 

“But we can only do this with a skilled and engaged workforce. That’s why it’s so important to showcase the brilliant careers and training available to students right here on their doorstep.”

What is the Surrey Festival of Skills?

The Surrey Festival of Skills is open to all young people in education aged 14 to 18. This is regardless of whether they are educated in school, college, at home or by any other educational route. 

It is organised and funded by Surrey County Council, with support from the Association of Learning Providers Surrey (ALPS).  

Sponsorship for the 2024 edition was provided by consumer health company Haleon and highways services provider Ringway. 

More than 80 exhibitors took part representing a diverse range of industries. They included household names like Balfour Beatty, Siemens, McLaren, the Royal Navy and London Gatwick Airport. 

They were joined by specialist sectors such as gaming, cyber security, osteopathy, adult social care and early years. 

All of Surrey’s further and higher education providers attended, along with a range of independent training providers. 

Public sector careers were championed by the Animal & Plant Health Agency, National Highways, NHS, Surrey Police and Surrey Fire & Rescue. 

“A day to remember”

Matt Furniss, the Council’s cabinet member for Highways, Transport and Economic growth, said: “Once again, the Surrey Festival of Skills has delivered a day to remember for everyone that took part. 

“We know days like this can play a huge impact on the choices young people make when they leave school or college.

“I want to say a big thank you to all our exhibitors for once again supporting this fantastic event, especially our sponsors Haleon and Ringway. Thanks to their support, we can ensure this event remains free and accessible to thousands of young people across Surrey.”

Lewis Bridgman, Business Unit Manager at Ringway, said: “Ringway are committed to supporting local talent and building a brighter future for young people in our county. We believe in investing in skills and creating opportunities that pave the way for rewarding careers for a diversity of talent within the highways industry. Together we can build strong foundations for tomorrow’s workforce. Ringway are proud to have sponsored the 2024 Surrey Festival of Skills.”

Abeera Mohammad, STEM Lead at Haleon said: “Haleon are proud to have sponsored the Festival of Skills this year. As a world-leading consumer health company with our Headquarters based in Surrey, we were excited to promote STEM careers and give back to the community.”

Interested in supporting future skills initiatives in Surrey? Or Looking for support to skill up your workforce? Get in touch with the Business Surrey team via the contact us form.

You can also find about more about the event on the Surrey Festival of Skills website.

If your workforce doesn’t feel confident with numbers it could be holding your business back without you even realising it.

Studies have shown that almost half of the UK working population lack confidence using numbers – so it’s likely that this could apply to some of your own team. But upskilling your staff by improving their number skills can help reduce number-related errors, increase productivity, improve staff retention and even increase profits.

Multiply can help improve number skills

Multiply is a range of free, flexible courses that can help your workforce improve their number skills and build their number confidence. The courses are funded by government so they’re completely free to learners. There’s also no charge to businesses that want to upskill staff by sending them on an existing course or arranging a bespoke course for their organisation.

There’s a huge range of Multiply courses available, from just a few hours online, to more in-depth and in-person courses taking place over a number of weeks. So there’s something to suit everyone – but if you can’t find one to suit your workforce’s needs, it’s possible to arrange a bespoke program through one of the official Multiply providers.

Who’s eligible for Multiply?

Multiply is available to all Surrey residents aged 19 and over, who don’t already have a Maths GCSE (or equivalent). In some cases, people who already have a Maths GCSE, but continue to feel unconfident with numbers, may still be eligible for improving their number skills with Multiply if it will help them to advance at work. And businesses that are based in Surrey can benefit from Multiply too.

Courses are running now, and continue until the end of March 2025.

Find out more

You can see the full list of available courses on the Multiply website.

If you’d like to find out more about arranging bespoke courses for your organisation, email multiply.info@surreycc.gov.uk.

A new Digital Skills Centre has opened at Guildford College as part of wider efforts to bolster digital and creative skills in Surrey.

National figures show there are currently 2,500 vacancies in data-related roles across the county.

Activate Learning – which runs Guildford College – is working with local employers and strategic bodies like Surrey County Council to address immediate and long-term skills shortages in the data, tech, and cyber sector.

The new cutting-edge Digital Skills Centre at Guildford College is key to those efforts. It has been developed with £800,000 funding from the Department for Education’s Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF)

Why is Guildford’s Digital Skills Centre needed?

Digital skills have become fundamental across nearly every industry in Surrey. Yet there is a notable shortfall in local talent.

Nationally, the UK faces a significant challenge, with an estimated 178,000 to 234,000 unfilled data-related roles.

With 2,500 unfilled vacancies in Surrey alone, local employers are struggling to find candidates with the required digital and tech expertise. This hinders productivity and stifles innovation in a growing sector which is key to Surrey’s future economy.

Leaders at Guildford College say the investment in a new Digital Skills Centre showcases its commitment to cultivating the future talent necessary for sustaining growth and innovation in the region.

Neil Shoulder, Group Director of Guildford College, pictured below (left) said: “We’re delighted to be launching the new Digital Skills Centre at Guildford College, which demonstrates our commitment to tackling the digital skills shortage in Surrey head-on.

“By offering targeted courses and training, we are ensuring that Surrey’s economy remains dynamic and competitive in the global market.

“This initiative not only addresses immediate needs in the digital sector but also supports long-term growth and innovation – working with and providing local businesses with the skilled workforce they desperately need.”

Available courses at the Digital Skills Centre

The Digital Skills Centre will provide comprehensive programmes for career changers, young learners, and current employees seeking to upskill.

Courses and qualifications are aimed at all ages. This includes T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), plus apprenticeships in digital and tech subjects.

Courses will also meet the evolving demands of the industry, ensuring students have the necessary skills to excel in a competitive job market.

Among the first courses offered will be:

• Practical AI in a Day: A four-hour course introducing AI technologies and the ‘prompt journey’ concept.
• Applying AI in Your Business: An eight-hour course over two days that builds on this foundation with case studies and hands-on experience in using AI for data analytics and document production.

Visit the AI for Business page on the Activate Learning website to discover more.

Digital Skills Centre and local employers

Activate Learning says that Surrey businesses are key to the success of the Digital Skills Centre.

It is working with iChooseLocal to reach out to local employers to engage in the programme. This will ensure the curriculum remains agile and responsive to industry needs.

It will also maintain a pool of skilled professionals who can significantly contribute to the local economy.

Jon Adams, Chief Strategy Officer at Activate Learning, said: “Guildford College’s investment in a new Digital Skills Centre is a transformative step towards acknowledging and addressing the critical skills shortages in Surrey’s digital and tech sectors.

“By working with employers, we are ensuring that the talent needed for the local economy to grow and thrive is there and that Surrey remains at the forefront of technological advancement and competitiveness.

“This targeted use of LSIF funding will enable us to deliver bespoke training programmes that not only address the immediate skills shortages but also align with the future demands of the tech industry, ensuring sustainable economic growth and innovation in the region.”

Free workforce support for your Surrey business

Looking for further help to develop your workforce and grow your Surrey business?

Business Surrey offer free expert support businesses of all sizes across the county. Get in touch on the links below.

• Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
• Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on news, events and support for Surrey businesses.
• Browse our directory of business support in Surrey. View more than 120 local, regional and national schemes and initiatives, which can search through quickly and easily.
• Find out more about what we do and how to access one of our many business-friendly services by completing our Contact Us form.

Construction professionals of the future were provided a chance to learn more about careers in the industry in an interactive day at Surrey’s Nescot College.

Representatives from Ringway Infrastructure Services, Surrey’s leading highway maintenance contractor, led the session at the further education college in Epsom.

Students from a range of courses had the chance to find out more about the new Construction Skills for Highway Maintenance courses being delivered by the college with Ringway and supply chain partner Eurovia Surfacing.

The day was supported by the Surrey Careers Hub, a Surrey County Council service which connects employers to training providers to ensure young people can take their next best step.

Slavina Kalendzhieva, Head of Foundation Learning at Nescot said:

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Ringway and Eurovia to deliver these courses which create lots of opportunities for our students. The courses offer clear pathways from education to vocational, employment and apprenticeship opportunities and will help students develop skillsets for next steps after college.

“The opportunity to meet with industry professionals has also given our students an insight into the varied opportunities available in the highway sector.”

Carolyn Jay, Community and Place Manager at Ringway said:

“We are really excited to be working with Nescot. The accredited construction curriculum courses offer masterclasses by Ringway and Eurovia. Students will have the opportunity to interview for a job or apprenticeship with Ringway, Eurovia and supply chain partners following course completion.

“The college has been so excellent and responsive to us being on campus to demonstrate to students the wide range of work opportunities in the highways industry which needs young people. We want to showcase how accessible it is to work in this sector.”

Students had the opportunity to try out specialised equipment to lay a paving slab. Others used electric hand tools including a fully electric steel saw used for cutting slabs and tarmac. Some explored the vehicles used, including an Accident and Emergency vehicle, a Roller and a Low Loader used for transporting highway kit.

Bricklaying student Jack who enjoyed exploring the Roller vehicle said:

“It’s been a fantastic experience finding out what is involved with working on the roads and the various equipment used. It is great that these courses are being offered, they sound very interesting and I think they will enhance my learning.”

Highways Maintenance courses at Nescot

The one-year Level 1 and Entry Level Construction Skills for Highway Maintenance courses develop skills in construction, employability and digital with a focus on highway maintenance.

They are designed to provide a pathway to the Ringway Highways Maintenance/Groundworks Apprenticeship, or similar roles with Eurovia and other supply chain partner.

Certified by the Gateway examining body, the Building and Construction specification is delivered with input from Ringway and Eurovia staff. It includes live briefs, industry projects, masterclasses and enrichment activities.

Students will have the opportunity to interview for a job or apprenticeship with Ringway, Eurovia and supply chain partners following course completion.

Ringway manage and maintain the largest portfolio of highways service contracts in the UK. This covers over 43,000km of strategic and local highway network on behalf of National Highways, Transport for London, and local authorities.