For the second year running, Ashfield District Council has led the Ashfield Aim Higher Scheme, supported by Aimhigher Nottinghamshire to provide good quality work placements for university students returning to the District for their summer break.

An awards evening was recently held where the businesses, students and their families celebrated their achievements. A promotional DVD was launched demonstrating the wide range of projects undertaken across a diverse set of sectors and working environments. All of the students who participated said that they had found the experience invaluable in respect of their studies as well as gaining a real insight into the real work environment. Many of the students said that they hadn’t appreciated the range of good quality employment opportunities now available to them in Ashfield and would certainly consider returning to the area when they leave university. The Alliance for Enterprise student placement, Rachel Grindle said of the scheme, “it has given me a lot more positive impression of the area that I live in”.

Businesses of varying sizes participated in the scheme and all said that they had been very impressed with the level of capability and initiative shown by the students and felt that it had been a cost effective exercise requiring minimal input in terms of time from them. They all reported numerous benefits to their business and said they would recommend the scheme to other employers. Peter Ellse of TTS Group Limited said,

“I would strongly recommend this scheme to any business that is trying to grow their business or wants to plug a gap or research an area that perhaps they haven’t quite had the time to do.”

Andrew Smith, Head of Community and Economic Promotion at the District Council said,

“Encouraging students to come back to work in Ashfield is an important part of ensuring local skills are retained in the district for the benefit of the local economy. This project not only provides students with quality experience and a view of opportunities in Ashfield but also gives local businesses support in developing new ideas through working with young local talent. This project has been a great success in its second year and I would encourage local businesses to take part in the scheme and make use of the skills available on their doorstep”.

Any businesses or students interested in participating in the scheme in the future should contact Ella O’Connor at Ashfield District Council on 01623 457303 or by e-mail at e.oconnor@ashfield-dc.gov.uk.

Students who took part in the Ashfield Aim Higher Scheme.