SOME THOUGHTS
We should be careful that we do not assume that the word EMPLOYMENT is limited to ‘how to find jobs for people’. It is more subtle that that.
Currently at November 2016 there are about 5000 jobs available within 10 miles of Stockport but although the Job Centre web site allows search by specific job titles I was unable to search by generic job groups.
We do know that the top 6 employment sectors in Greater Manchester are:
More information about Stockport is available on http://careerpoint-gm.co.uk/staff/labour-market-information/areas/stockport/
We don’t know what the Marple employment, unemployment and NIET figures are and I suggest that we need this. We also need to know how many people are retired but could do work, paid or voluntary. It could also be of value to get an estimate of the number of people who do voluntary work or who might be prepared to do so.
We might consider setting an EMPLOYMENT VISION such as “every school leaver in Marple who seeks work will be found a job opportunity”
We might look at the vocational skills programmes offered by the two secondary education providers in Marple and consider whether the community consider them up to date and relevant. The Marple Hall website provides a very powerful and well designed guidance framework.
Stockport College offers a very wide range of vocational skill courses.
We might look at methods of matching people who might wish to volunteer with volunteer opportunities (but there may be others doing this?) Maybe retired residents could help by giving real world feedback on careers in a way, which most teachers would not be able to do?
While there are some areas above where data collection would be valuable I suggest that the most important thing we need to know is “What does the Community need that is not already available”
A carefully designed questionnaire could be a means of discovering this.
This would give the sort of ownership which will be essential.