Local students see what it's like to be part of Team OGL

Local students from King Charles I School, Baxter College, Hagley Roman Catholic School, Wolverley High School and Stourport High School were given an insight into working in local businesses thanks to the ‘Opening Doors to Business’ scheme which ran in Wyre Forest for the third consecutive year last week.  More than 250 students in Year 9 visited Wyre Forest organisations in groups to get a feel for a range of different workplaces.

Organised by the ContinU Trust and local firm OGL Computer, students visited local organisations including OGL, West Midlands Safari Park, Hogarths Stone Manor, Wyre Forest District Council and MFG Solicitors to gain an insight into what the business does, how day-to-day business is carried out, and meet the people who work there.  The idea of the ‘Opening Doors to Business’ scheme is to provide young people who are thinking about their career direction to have a taste of a real working environment and what different workplaces look like.

The ‘Opening Doors to Business’ scheme was launched in 2016 thanks to partnerships between OGL Computer, ContinU Trust and Wyre Forest District Council.

Neil Morris, Director of OGL and Chairman of the ReWyre Board said:

“When I took up the role of Chairman of ReWyre, it was my vision to make our agenda about grass roots business issues.  ReWyre is all about creating a positive environment for businesses, visitors, as well as investors in Wyre Forest.

“The ReWyre board members, made up of local business leaders and Wyre Forest District Council, want to do something proactive to bridge the skills gap we have in the area. One of the ways we are doing this is to engage young people to show them that there are exciting and wide-ranging opportunities on their own doorstep. 

“Hopefully this will inspire them to look into the comprehensive training and development opportunities at our colleges and the organisations themselves and create their chosen lifestyles in the local area.”

Cllr Ian Hardiman, Wyre Forest Cabinet Member for Planning & Economic Regeneration said:

“There are many excellent businesses and public sector employers in the Wyre Forest area who are always looking for enthusiastic, willing people to add value to their organisations.  By participating in this scheme, we want to send a message to young people that they should look closely at the local workplace for apprenticeships and careers where they can develop and grow.”

During the week, students were given a mixture of experiences such as participating in meetings, observing how customers are engaged with, seeing manufacturing in action and talking to workers.

Emma Porter, Head of HR at OGL Computer commented: “We invest a lot of time into maintaining good working relationships with the local schools and colleges as we value local home-grown talent.  We have a diverse workforce and it’s that blend of fresh ideas with extensive industry knowledge that enables us to deliver high levels of service to our customers.”

Pictured (L:R): Joe Share (Baxter College) and Edward Reynolds, Billy Hull and Finley Burkes (King Charles 1 High School)