Future in Education, Training and Employment in Peterborough Gets a Boost with IEG-hosted Roundtable

Inspire Education Group (IEG) hosted a pivotal roundtable discussion at Peterborough College on Friday, 31st January 2025, focused on addressing the rising number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) in Peterborough. 

The roundtable brought together key stakeholders such as representatives from Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough, and other key local organisations and businesses., policymakers, and community organisations committed to finding collaborative solutions to this issue.

Following Peterborough’s designation as a ‘Trailblazer’ area for youth employment support, the city has been awarded funding to ensure the city is at the forefront of initiatives helping NEET young people gain essential skills and opportunities. 

The discussions organised by Rachel Nicholls, CEO of IEG, and Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough, therefore focused on how a partnership could commit a set of concrete actions to be implemented over the next 12 months, with a focus on expanding training pathways, enhancing employer partnerships, and ensuring long-term support for young people.

The roundtable discussion followed a recent visit to IEG’s Peterborough campus by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall, in which a national package of reforms designed to help people facing long-term barriers to work was unveiled.

Rachel Nicholls, CEO of Inspire Education Group, commented, “This meeting marks a crucial step in tackling the NEET challenge in Peterborough, and we are creating a platform to discuss the local context and ensure that our solutions are effective and sustainable. By working collaboratively with key local stakeholders, I’m confident we can drive positive change for young people in our community and ensure they have the support and opportunities they need in order to thrive.”

Andrew Pakes, MP for Peterborough, commented, “It was great to see so many businesses and partners coming together to look at how we can better support young people into jobs and careers. Peterborough is the industrial heartland of our region and can play an important role in engineering, construction and tech jobs but we need the mechanisms in place to bring businesses and learners together.

“I am really looking forward to helping put Peterborough on the national stage for jobs and apprenticeships and working with Peterborough College to ensure young people get the opportunities they need.” 

As we work in partnership to strengthen our city’s role as a hub for educational innovation and career development, we’re optimistic Peterborough is poised to lead the way in supporting young people into meaningful and sustainable careers.