HomeServe will kick start their involvement through contributing employer skills and experience taking part in the Give an Hour Campaign. Working with The Careers & Enterprise Company and the Black Country Careers Hub and Enterprise Adviser Network, HomeServe will provide young people in the Black Country with access to meaningful engagement with their employees through a ‘Virtual Give an Hour Campaign’ and the opportunity for their employees to become Enterprise Advisers helping more young people make informed choices about their futures.

Cornerstone Employers act as champions to encourage new businesses in the area to get involved, as well as encouraging their own staff to become volunteer Enterprise Advisers in order to pass their business knowledge on to the next generation.

In becoming a Cornerstone Employer, HomeServe joins a strong contingent of employers in the area working as Cornerstones including Wilmott Dixon, Thomas Dudley, Accord, KPMG, AF Blakemore, Sandwell Council, Walsall Council and Wolverhampton NHS Trust, all of whom play a vital part in helping to shape the careers education of young people across the Black Country.

Kevin Davis, Black Country LEP Board Member said: “We are delightful to announce that HomeServe have become a Cornerstone Employer for the Black Country Careers Hub and Enterprise Adviser Network. They will be supporting the Careers Hub to bridge the gap between education and employers galvanising their networks and committing to work with other Cornerstone Employers. We welcome their commitment and expertise to the Cornerstone Community.”

Karen Halford, HomeServe People Director said: “We are really looking forward to beginning our journey as a Cornerstone Employer for the Black Country Careers Hub. We want to play our part in helping young people to benefit from excellent careers provision in order to empower them to choose their own career path and prepare them for the world of work. We also believe it’s important to support in developing the skills of our future workforce and give back to our community.”

The Black Country Careers Hubs, funded by the Careers & Enterprise Company, connect local employers with careers leaders in schools and colleges to strengthen the careers education for young people. Resources are shared and developed which benefit all pupils and training and development of Careers Leaders is undertaken throughout the year supported by the Black Country Enterprise Advisers and Cornerstone Employers. To date, the Careers Hub has engaged with 96 schools and colleges and over 200 employers.

Nationally, the Black Country Careers Hubs are recognised as being hugely successful and the work undertaken by the team in partnership with Wolverhampton Council, Sandwell Connexions, Dudley Connexions, The Black Country Chamber of Commerce and SIPS education impacts on 96 Secondary Schools and Colleges.