Buckinghamshire Skills Hub

10/06/2026

Love art and writing? Want something standout for your CV or personal statement?

Enter Write on Art — a national competition for 13–19 year olds from Art UK and the Paul Mellon Centre. Choose any artwork on Art UK and write 400–600 words in your preferred style (essay, review, or creative piece).

Winners (12 UK-wide) will attend a workshop at the Royal College of Art, work with arts professionals, and co-create a published zine.

Entries close at 10:00, 21 July. All you need is an artwork and your ideas.

Find out more: https://orlo.uk/rHyGt

21/05/2026

Employers across Buckinghamshire are using The Careers & Enterprise Company’s Employer Standards to turn good intentions into measurable impact - for young people and their future workforce.

If you already engage with schools and colleges, the free self‑assessment is a simple way to see what’s working, where you can go further, and how you compare regionally and nationally.

In around 25 minutes, you can benchmark your activity against nine national standards, access practical resources, and start building an evidence base for your careers work.

The real value comes from returning each year to track progress and demonstrate impact over time. From work experience to careers talks and site visits, you can show how you’re strengthening your talent pipeline while boosting employability skills locally.

Morgan Sindall Construction’s approach highlights what’s possible when education engagement becomes part of business as usual: https://orlo.uk/Nmusj

Ready to get started? Register for the free self‑assessment: https://orlo.uk/L2Z80

By Buckinghamshire Business First 6 March, 2026 Employees and HR Email to a friend Twitter Facebook Linkedin × Share by email Your name Your email address Recipient name Recipient email address The Careers and Enterprise Company's (CEC) Employer Standards provide a clear framework for businesses of...

20/05/2026

Looking for a way to keep the kids engaged this summer?

is running Summer Holiday Tech Camps designed to help children build confidence, creativity and future-ready digital skills — through hands-on, beginner-friendly activities like coding, robotics, animation and game design.

Less scrolling. More creating.

Sponsored by Bosch, these camps are a fun and supportive way for children aged 7–14 to move from consuming technology to creating with it.

Three exciting week-long sessions are available, running from 27 to 31 July, 17 to 21 August, and 24 to 28 August, each day from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Children will explore everything from game creation and robotics to space missions and filmmaking — all while making new friends.

Places are limited, so if you're interested in giving your child the chance to explore the world of technology, you can reserve their spot by emailing David Reilly at [email protected]

14/05/2026

Buckinghamshire employers – want to strengthen your future talent pipeline?

Join the Careers & Enterprise Company’s online seminar on 15 May (10.30–12.00), exploring how to deliver inclusive, high-quality modern work experience that gives young people meaningful insight into the world of work.

Hear practical insights from an expert panel, including Norma Odain-Hines (Morgan Sindall Construction), one of Buckinghamshire’s Enterprise Advisers.

Find out more and book your place via the CEC event page: https://orlo.uk/Agjmp

08/05/2026

Assessment centres can feel intense, but they’re a brilliant chance to show how you think, communicate, and work with others. Preparing in advance—by understanding the role, practising common exercises, and rehearsing how you talk through your ideas—will help you feel more confident and in control.

On the day, arrive early, stay calm, and remember that every interaction counts. Assessors notice how you listen, include others, and contribute to group discussions without taking over. Use clear, structured thinking in problem-solving tasks, explain your assumptions, and draw on specific real-life examples from study, work, or volunteering to highlight skills like teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

For practical tips, examples, and guidance, explore the full Bucks Skills Hub resource here: https://orlo.uk/IU6vi

07/05/2026

Bringing modern work experience to life, is essential in helping young people understand real career pathways and opportunities.

Recently, over 50 students from Chiltern Hills Academy, The Beaconsfield School, Highcrest Academy, and St Michaels Catholic School in High Wycombe, visited a live Morgan Sindall construction site at Orchard View Primary Academy, located in the Kingsbrook development in Aylesbury.

Students gained first hand insight into the construction industry, hearing directly from professionals at Morgan Sindall and Flannery about their personal career journeys, day to day roles, and the wide range of opportunities available across the sector. They also had the chance to ask questions, explore the site environment, and deepen their understanding of how large scale projects come together.

One of the highlights of the visit was the opportunity to operate construction machinery using the state of the art Flannery simulator, giving students a fun and interactive experience that brought learning to life.

A huge thank you goes to Morgan Sindall and Flannery, whose support and collaboration made this inspiring experience possible for so many young people.

27/04/2026

An inspiring morning of creativity, confidence-building and collaboration today as students from Sir Thomas Fremantle School, The Beaconsfield School, Cressex Community School, and Buckingham School came together for a fantastic final of the Menu Masters competition.

Each team raised their game for the final, delivering impressive presentations, tackling tough questions from judges Cllr Jilly Jordan, Bonnie May from Global Infusion Group, Sarah Gray from the Careers and Enterprise Company, and Heather Dean from Buckinghamshire Business First, and showing real entrepreneurial flair.

Congratulations to the winning team from Sir Thomas Fremantle School, whose South American themed restaurant concept, Plaça de Tinta, captured the judges’ attention with its creative blend of food and artistic expression, offering a unique 'Sip and Paint' experience where customers can create, display, and even sell their artwork while enjoying locally sourced dishes.

A huge thank you goes to Atul Kochhar and his team, and Karim Kassam and his team at Horwood House Hotel, who generously gave their time to mentor the students. And thanks to Your Print Solution for printing the certificates!

The prizes reflect the exceptional standard of work, with the winning team earning a week of work experience across Horwood House Hotel and one of Atul Kochhar’s restaurants, as well as an incredible opportunity to collaborate with a chef from Global Infusion Group to create a dish featured on the menu for Lewis Capaldi’s Hyde Park performance in July, complete with full credit to the team and their school.

A brilliant example of what happens when education and industry come together to inspire the next generation, something we're sure our Bucks Skills Hub Sponsors - OCU Group, Fairhive Homes, Rosefield Solar Farm, and Buckinghamshire Council - would agree with.

13/04/2026

The Employment Rights Act became law in December 2025, and some of the biggest changes to UK employment law in a generation are now taking effect. Is your business prepared?

From April 2026, key changes are already live. Statutory Sick Pay now has no earnings threshold and no three-day waiting period, meaning more of your employees will qualify from day one. Employees are also entitled to Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave from their very first day in a new job, and a new right to Bereaved Partner's Paternity Leave has been introduced following the death of a child's mother or primary adopter.

There is more to be aware of beyond family leave. Collective redundancy protections have been strengthened, with the maximum protective award doubling from 90 to 180 days' pay per employee for non-compliance. Whistleblowing protections for workers reporting sexual harassment have also been reinforced, and the new Fair Work Agency has been established to support businesses with compliance and uphold workers' rights.

The good news is that help is available. The government has published free guidance for businesses at https://orlo.uk/XSm6Q, Acas has a dedicated page with training courses, and a government Business Academy webinar is taking place on 23 April at 2pm for those who want a structured walkthrough of what is required.

Changes will continue rolling out through 2026 and into 2027, so now is the time to review your contracts, policies, and procedures.

31/03/2026

Aylesbury UTC is hosting its final open event of the academic year on 14th May 2026, welcoming prospective Year 9–12 students and their families.

This is a great opportunity to:
- Meet employer partners
- Take part in sample lessons
- Tour specialist learning environments
- Learn how UTC education differs from mainstream schooling

Aylesbury UTC offers technical education pathways in Film, TV & Content Creation, Digital, and Health & Social Care, helping young people prepare for future careers and further study.

🗓️ Aylesbury UTC, Buckinghamshire | Thursday 14 May | 5:00–7:00pm | Free registration required

Read more and book your place: https://orlo.uk/nB0x3

Aylesbury UTC

26/03/2026

Young creatives in Buckinghamshire (ages 8–22) — this is your chance to get your original songs heard on a global stage.

The Song Academy Young Songwriter 2026 competition (SAYS26) is now open for entries until 31 March, welcoming everything from voice‑note demos to fully produced tracks.

Judged by leading music industry professionals including Toby Gad, Miranda Cooper, RuthAnne Cunningham, Jin Jin and Eg White, the competition focuses on songwriting talent - not production quality. With seven UK, Ireland and international categories, and the ability to enter up to five solo and five group songs, it’s open whether you’re just starting out or already writing regularly.

Prizes include mentoring, performance opportunities, home studio gear and exposure to top industry professionals.

Find out more and submit your entries:
https://orlo.uk/aoIS4