News 2021

We welcomed over 130 employers, educators, and professionals alike on the 21^st February at The Apex Hotels, City Quay, to our partnership event “Bridging the Gap” to unveil new innovative Edtech that will increase social mobility and enhance positive destinations for our young people right here in Dundee!

Joining forces; Dundee City Council, DYW Tay Cities, and globalbridge announced the launch of the globalbridge App which encourages young people to detail their experiences and understand their skills via a new innovative digital learner profile, bridging the gap between the classroom and the boardrooms thus allowing employers to provide opportunities which will be matched with a young person learner profile via a buzzing digital ecosystem. Helping to navigate and nurture the future talent of Dundee.

A massive thanks to our partners globalbridge and Dundee City Council for working together to create an incredible opportunity that will benefit every young person in Dundee and enable the next generation of future talent to emerge successfully. Another thank you to Apex Hotels, Paul Mooney, and his team for hosting this event on the evening and helping to ensure a smooth and seamless event with fantastic catering.

On the 17^th of January Mr Dey, Minister of Higher and Further Education, visited DYW Tay Cities to learn about all our exciting work. Lucy Jobson our Graduate Apprentice delivered an informative presentation on the Apprentice Ambassador Project that she manages in Tay Cities, she was also joined by Apprentice Ambassadors Natalia (previous Modern Apprentice), Josh and Millie (apprentices from GSK) who shared their apprenticeship journey. Morgan McLeod, one of our Employer Liaison Officers, then gave an insight into some of our DYW Tay Cities events that have taken place throughout 2023 and provided a glance into the calendar of 2024 events. John Robertson finished the presentation with an overview of the team’s delivery statistics.

Finally, the morning couldn’t end without a visit to one of our local employers, Dundee FC Community Trust.

Thank you Mr Dey for taking the time to visit us!

On the 15^th of February, the High School Of Dundee hosted its Senior Careers Fair and we, DYW Tay Cities, collaborated with the school to encourage our local employer contacts to come along and have a stall. The fair proved highly successful, with over 200 students attending throughout the morning/afternoon sessions.

Students had the opportunity to network with diverse employers, inquire about job openings, explore apprenticeship options and meet the DYW Apprentice Ambassadors: Lucy Jobson and Natalia Greszta. They also engaged in hands-on experiences and activities offered by different stalls and businesses present.

Credit to the High School of Dundee for organising this impactful event and thank you to all the organisations that attended.

In December 2023, over 70 young people attended our Journey to Work partnership event hosted at YMCA Tayside.

This event was aimed at young people 16 plus or for those wanting to leave high school soon, to help them prepare for the world of work. They discovered the art of dressing to impress for interviews, sharpened interview skills with mock interviews, found out about the apprenticeship route, took part in employer-led presentations & workshops that will enhance their work-ready skills, and connected with local employers at the career’s carousel/mini jobs fair, who can kick start their future careers.

The impactful workshops and presentations played a significant role in making this event so beneficial for young people. Sessions such as “Motivational Speaking with Euan Dear,” “Volunteering Presentation by PKAVS Carers Hub,” “Communication Skills Mastery with Steven Stewart,” and “Understanding Employer Expectations with Hillcrest” added inspirational, educational, and practical dimensions. They empowered young people to think about diverse career paths, refine communication skills, understand employer expectations, and explore volunteering opportunities. This will help them be well-equipped for applying for jobs and entering the workforce

Yesterday, 60 enthusiastic P6 pupils welcomed Innes and the Bam Nuttall team for a thrilling challenge. The focus? Building a bridge structure!

Innes kicked off the day with insights into the Cross Tay Link Project, connecting the students to the construction project in their area. Then, the race was on! Two teams competed to complete their halves of the bridge in record time.

A hands-on experience that not only sparked creativity but also gave these young minds an insight into real-world engineering

There was a fantastic Growth Mindset session held for 84 S4 students at Montrose Academy on the 30^th of November. This was a crucial event for pupils gearing up for the upcoming December prelims. This session aimed to foster a positive mindset during what can be a stressful period for young people.

Jamie McBrearty Coaching conducted an inspiring session that engaged both girls and boys, with everyone hanging on to his every word.

Thank you, Jamie, for dedicating your time to visit Montrose Academy and for sharing your wisdom, contributing to the development of a growth mindset within the school community.

Over 900 pupils from 30 secondary schools across the Tay Cities area attended the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc STEM Expo event, supported by the DYW Tay Cities team, on the 28th and 29th of November.

More than a dozen exhibitors provided engaging activities and stalls to foster great participation from the pupils to promote the breadth and depth of STEM opportunities across the Tay Cities landscape.

A huge thank you to those exhibitors who took part and made sure that the event was a huge success.

The Class visited Apex Hotels to understand various organisations in the tourism sector, They were introduced to the Hotel by Paul Mooney (General Manager) with lunch, then introduced and split into 3 separate groups with Operations Manager, Kitchen, and Spa Manager.

While let loose around the hotel, the pupils were given a tour around the various functions of the Hotel. With visiting different rooms & event spaces to understand how these are sold, then to the kitchen to help the Chef plate up a Main Course and cake decorating! Right down to the visit to the spa to understand how guests and visitors to the hotel like to unwind. It was an invaluable day that helped to elevate the tremendous tourism sector we have right here in Tay Cities and the exciting career paths within.

A massive thanks to The Apex Hotel, Dundee & Paul Mooney for an incredible afternoon which will not be forgotten about any time soon!

The DYW Tay Cities team were approached by the Channel 4 “4Schools Team” to consider the possibility of running a schools engagement programme consisting of Talks/Workshops/Q&A sessions with a school in the Tay Cities region. The aim of the programme would be to help inspire the students and bring awareness about Careers in the Creative Sector – and the TV & Film industry. Channel 4 had previously deployed this programme very successfully across many schools in England, and there was now a desire to bring the programme to Scottish schools. In discussions with the 4Schools team, it was also established that the ethos of the programme was such that any potential schools identified as possible participants, should come from areas of the highest depravation in the region. Therefore, the DYW team decided collectively that Braeview Academy would be a suitable candidate and subsequently it was offered the opportunity and gladly accepted.

One of the participants was actor and performer Brian Leys (currently a cast member on BBC Scotland’s “River City”), who was a former school pupil, which brought a greater degree of relatability and inspiration for the pupils, to see someone from both their area and school having entered the industry.

Feedback was sought from staff, senior management pupils and participants and was overwhelmingly positive from all concerned.

Over 160 young people participated in the event, and it was hoped that it would have a positive impact upon pupils picking appropriate subject choices for routes and pathways into the creative industries in the new year.

Hundreds of Dundee and Angus senior year pupils attended a careers event on the 16^th of November at Ninewells Hospital.

The event held at the Ian Low Centre within Ninewells Hospital had 32 stands with representatives from a wide range of disciplines and professions who were on hand to help pupils gain an insight into the variety of roles available in healthcare.

The event was arranged in partnership between NHS Tayside and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Tay Cities.

As well as the more traditional health service jobs in nursing, medical and allied health professions, there were representatives from the essential support departments, including portering, domestic and linen services.