Barrow Young People Offered Flexible Work Placements With No Grades Or CV Required
Young people in Barrow are being offered flexible work placements through a programme designed to help them gain experience, develop skills and explore career opportunities.
The Centre for Leadership Performance is organising a free networking event called Network for Success at The Bridge on Portland Walk, Barrow-in-Furness. Taking place on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, between 5pm and 6.30pm, the event will give people aged 16 to 25 an opportunity to meet local employers, discover different career paths and learn about available workplace placements across South Cumbria.
The event will introduce attendees to Placement Plus, a programme designed to make workplace experience more accessible to young people. Unlike traditional work experience arrangements that often require participants to commit to a fixed number of days, the initiative allows placements to be organised around individual circumstances and the requirements of participating businesses.
One of the main features of Placement Plus is its flexible approach to working arrangements. Depending on the opportunity, participants could spend an afternoon or one day each week with an employer, arrange their experience around college or university commitments, or complete a more concentrated placement over a shorter period. The Centre for Leadership Performance will work with both parties to agree suitable arrangements.
Young people will not need to have a specific career in mind before registering their interest. The programme aims to help participants discover their strengths, understand different working environments and build confidence through practical experience. It also provides an opportunity to meet employers and develop professional connections that could prove valuable when considering future employment or further education.
Another important aspect of the initiative is that applicants do not need to provide academic grades or a CV. Organisers say young people simply need to register and share some information about themselves and their interests. The approach is intended to remove some of the barriers that can prevent people from accessing their first workplace opportunity, particularly those who have limited previous employment experience.
Placement Plus includes opportunities across science, technology, engineering and mathematics, commonly referred to as STEM. Areas currently listed include computer-aided design, project management, research, coding, software development and environmental sustainability. These fields offer participants the chance to explore different professional environments and gain a better understanding of the skills required across a range of industries.
The programme is also intended to benefit participating businesses by helping them connect with young people who may become future employees. Employers can introduce their work, share practical knowledge and provide insight into their industries while offering participants valuable exposure to professional responsibilities and workplace expectations.
Sarah Glass, executive director at the Centre for Leadership Performance, said securing a first opportunity could be one of the biggest challenges facing young people starting their careers. She explained that enthusiasm and ambition were important, but finding an employer willing to provide that initial experience could be difficult. Placement Plus aims to address this challenge by connecting young people with businesses prepared to support their development.
The initiative builds on the organisation's established Dream Placement programme, which has already helped more than 4,000 young people connect with local employers. Through that programme, participants have gained insight into working life and learned about different career possibilities, while businesses have had opportunities to encourage and inspire the next generation of workers.
Placement Plus is jointly funded by the Centre for Leadership Performance and offshore wind energy company Ørsted through the Walney Extension Skills Fund. The funding supports the development of opportunities that connect young people with employers and help strengthen employment pathways across the South Cumbria area.
The Network for Success event is free to attend, but advance booking is essential because the session will include workshop activities. It is open to young people aged 16 to 25, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult. Interested participants are required to complete the registration process and provide information about themselves and their interests before attending.
The event will take place at The Bridge, Portland Walk, Barrow-in-Furness, on Tuesday, 24 November, from 5pm to 6.30pm. The opportunity provides local young people with a chance to meet employers, explore career possibilities and find out how flexible work placements could help them take their first steps towards employment.
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