NextGen Stockport: Bringing Business, Education and Community Together for Meaningful Work Experience

Last week, PIE was proud to co-host the first-ever NextGen Stockport event alongside Sector 3 Stockport and Grassroots Recruitment, supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

The morning brought together more than 50 representatives from Stockport’s business, education and VCFSE sectors to explore how we can work together to deliver meaningful work experience for every young person in the borough. From the first conversation to the final handshake, the atmosphere was filled with energy, purpose and collaboration — a shared commitment to creating opportunities that genuinely prepare young people for the world of work.

Setting the Scene: Building the Next Generation Workforce

The event opened with an introduction from GMCA, outlining the Modern Work Experience Guarantee — a regional commitment to ensuring all young people can access high-quality, skills-focused workplace encounters. Delegates heard updates to Gatsby Benchmark 6 and explored EqualEx, an outcomes-based planning framework helping schools and employers co-design meaningful experiences.

This set the tone for the day: a call to reimagine work experience as flexible, inclusive and relevant — equipping young people with real-world skills while enabling employers to benefit from their ideas and creativity.

Inspiration in Action

A line-up of speakers showcased how different sectors are already leading the way.

Clare Finch from Sector 3 shared how volunteering in the Third Sector opens new pathways for young people while strengthening community connections. Beth Collins, PIE’s founder, highlighted how Future Ready and Wave of Change combine communication, teamwork and project management with social action, helping participants build confidence and purpose.

Claire Wood from Datesand Ltd described Workplace Safaris co-designed with Highfields School, giving students immersive exposure to STEM careers — a model that smaller employers can easily adapt. Sharon McDonnell from the GM Good Employment Charter spoke about embedding inclusivity through the Enterprise Advisor network, while Adam Webster from Amey shared the success of STRIVE, an employer-led project supporting care-experienced young people into employment.

Together, these stories illustrated what’s possible when businesses, educators and the voluntary sector collaborate to create experiences that are personal, practical and powerful.

From Ideas to Action

Two interactive workshops followed — Designing Meaningful Work Experience Based on Local Skills Context and Reimagining VCFSEs: Integrating Volunteering into MWEx. Both encouraged open discussion and collaborative thinking, from micro-placements to volunteering pathways that build employability and social value.

It was inspiring to see employers and educators co-designing opportunities side by side. As one local employer reflected, “It was a really informative and useful event — a great opportunity to share ideas and think about practical next steps for Stockport’s young people.”

A school representative added, “I discovered options I had never even considered to help broaden our offer and remove barriers.”

Collaboration in Action

The morning concluded with Your Voices / Networking Marketplace, bringing together schools, charities and businesses to share experiences and form new partnerships.

Claire Wood (Datesand) commented, “It was great that contacts were shared following the event for people to connect and move forwards.”

Janet Parish (The Wellspring) described it as “a breath of fresh air bringing schools, charities and businesses together — I feel inspired!”

This session captured the essence of the day: collaboration, curiosity and collective responsibility.

Key Takeaways

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees rating the event 5/5 for content, relevance and overall experience. Described as “well-orchestrated,” “practical,” and “truly valuable,” delegates left with concrete actions and new partnerships in place.

Common themes included the need for ongoing collaboration, stronger school–employer links and greater inclusivity for young people with SEND or care experience.

One business representative summed it up: “Stockport is the hotbed for collaboration and getting things done!”

From Inspiration to Implementation

The most exciting outcome for PIE has been hearing how attendees are already turning ideas into action.

Stockport Homes Group is reviewing its work-experience offer, One+All is developing a youth-led sustainability challenge, and Dementia Disco is co-designing CSR days with schools. Meanwhile, St James Catholic High School are working with PIE to create new social-action-based placements, giving young people real responsibility in their communities.

One school leader shared, “Employers need to fully commit to what they can offer. Caroline and Beth do an amazing job, and we’re excited to build on the partnerships started today.”

These are exactly the kinds of outcomes PIE hoped to see — practical, inclusive and sustainable steps that will make a lasting difference for Stockport’s young people.

What’s Next for NextGen

For PIE, NextGen Stockport marks the beginning of a wider movement. Together with Sector 3 and Grassroots Recruitment, we’ll continue to build on the ideas shared, delivering follow-up sessions focused on supporting SEND learners, flexible placements and measuring impact using EqualEx.

We’re also exploring a NextGen Network — a collaborative space for schools, employers and community partners to share opportunities, co-design experiences and keep the momentum going.

As one attendee suggested, “A follow-up meeting in the new year to share how attendees have connected and pledge their commitment would be fantastic.”

Reflecting on the event, Caroline Brown, Director at Grassroots Recruitment, said:

“The new MWEx framework creates a real opportunity for businesses to partner with schools to build flexible workplace encounters that work for all parties — from employer-led projects that build sector-specific skills to workplace safaris that offer insights from relatable role models.

That’s why the NextGen Stockport event was so crucial to raise awareness, facilitate partnerships and inspire action. We’ve already heard from several schools and employers who attended that are now hoping to launch new schemes and initiatives, so I’m delighted this event could be the catalyst for that.”

At PIE, we believe that when education, business and community come together, we can create opportunities that truly change lives. NextGen Stockport proved that the partnerships, passion and ambition already exist — and that together, we can make meaningful work experience a reality for every young person in our borough.

If you would like to get involved with the ongoing development of NextGen Stockport then please get in touch!