Weymouth and Portland will be the South West showcase for the UK leading up to the 2012 Olympics & Cultural Olympics and beyond. The young people coming through Dorset schools and colleges today are the counties future ambassadors and an exciting new project has been launched to help show the young people of Weymouth & Portland exactly what employment opportunities may lay ahead over the next few years.
The Proud to beMade in Dorset Conference will be a one day event at The Portland Spa on Friday, 13 March for 200 year 9 students (14-15 yrs) from the four local secondary schools in Spring 2009. The programme will include a first class motivational speaker - Jack Russell from PDC Inspiration, local role models, local businesses, and a wide choice of exhibitors with specific vocational focus. A series of short films, produced by Weymouth College students will serve as an introduction to each occupational area, and the footage used to produce these will be repackaged for use on the W&PBC website as a signpost for attracting inward investment. During the day students will be encouraged to use their mobile phones to text in questions and observations which will be answered later in day by a panel of experts via brand new technology developed by Weymouth College.
Sarah Colwell, Projects Manager at Weymouth College said “The Proud to beMade in Dorset conference is designed to build on the Dorset Skills Festival. It will not be possible to accommodate all 800 year 9 students, so each school will be allocated up to 50 places. Students who have already shown an interest in business or who appear to have entrepreneurial characteristics will be invited to attend”. The event will be hosted in the same way as a typical business event and student ‘delegates’ will be required to dress smartly but not in school uniform but will be asked to wear the unique “Proud to be Made in Dorset” T shirts which have been kindly donated by New Look. The conference will be captured on film and later posted on various websites in order that more students can access the information.
The project has been funded by the Dorset Strategic partnership via the Weymouth & Portland Strategic partnership, DCC, W&PBC, WDDC and will be delivered by Weymouth College in conjunction with Popcorn Marketing of Weymouth.
For more information or if you are interested in being involved as a case study in the project please contact Julie Cleaver, Popcorn Marketing, Tel: 01305 774629 or email : Julie@popcornmarketing.co.uk
Sarah Colwell, Projects Manager at Weymouth College said “The Proud to be Made in Dorset conference is designed to build on the Dorset Skills Festival. It will not be possible to accommodate all 800 year 9 students, so each school will be allocated up to 50 places. Students who have already shown an interest in business or who appear to have entrepreneurial characteristics will be invited to attend”. The event will be hosted in the same way as a typical business event and student ‘delegates’ will be required to dress smartly but not in school uniform but will be asked to wear the unique “Proud to be Made in Dorset” T shirts which have been kindly donated by New Look. The conference will be captured on film and later posted on various websites in order that more students can access the information. 
