Skills and employment adviser Kimberley McGinty has been invited to share her expertise with a national advisory group. The invitation recognises her exemplary work as an enterprise adviser in London.
Kimberley is one of only two enterprise advisers, out of 180 in the London area, chosen to sit on the Enterprise Adviser Advisory Group. This is a new forum for enterprise advisers to share experiences, best practice and ideas.
High impact careers support
The national enterprise adviser programme is part of the Careers & Enterprise Company. The company was established by the government to create high impact careers support for young people through the strategic co-ordination of schools and colleges, employers, funders and careers programme providers.
Kimberley volunteered to become an enterprise adviser last year. In January she started working with Bishop Ramsey CE School, based close to VGC’s head office in Ruislip.
She explained: “I’m extremely honoured to have been chosen to sit on the national advisory group to help develop and support the enterprise adviser network across the UK. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to learn from each other and I am looking forward to sharing my insights and experiences from working with the staff and pupils at Bishop Ramsey.
“My role as an enterprise adviser at Bishop Ramsey has been extremely productive – we’ve organised inspirational career workshops, site visits, panel talks and work experience.
“The most important progress has been in building relationships and becoming a familiar face around the school. I was recently invited to speak at a Year 10 parents’ evening about preparing pupils for GCSEs. They said they found it very beneficial and I am thrilled to be able to provide such a useful service at this important stage in their children’s lives.”
In Kimberley’s role as skills and employment adviser at VCG, she already works closely with schools across London. With CSR manager Swati Patel, she plays an important part in VGC’s corporate social responsibility programme, which works with partner organisations to encourage more women, ex-offenders and young people into construction.
Kimberley joined VGC four years ago. At first she worked in operations rail, and then moved to support HS2 activities, before developing her current role.
Unanimously selected
Aimee Presly, senior manager, Team London (Business), said: “We were delighted to nominate Kimberley to the Enterprise Adviser Advisory Group. She was unanimously selected because of her excellent work at Bishops Ramsey as well as the many projects she has undertaken to help young people across London.
“The aim of the Enterprise Adviser Advisory group will be to support the Careers & Enterprise Company to understand the challenges, successes and support required nationally across the network. It will provide members with an opportunity to connect with 70 plus senior professionals across England who are also volunteering their time as enterprise advisers.”
The advisory group met for the first time in Birmingham in September and is expected to meet three times a year.
