TILG host the first ever Primary School Teacher Encounter as part of The Careers & Enterprise Company’s ‘Start Small; Dream Big’ initiative

In an exciting first for the country, TILG recently hosted the first Primary School Teacher Encounter as part of the ‘Start Small; Dream Big’ initiative, in partnership with the Stoke and Staffordshire Careers Hub. This innovative programme was supported by local employer; GivEnergy, and will help North Staffordshire primary school pupils to dream big and explore the possibilities of their future careers.

The ‘Start Small; Dream Big’ Primary Careers Pilot, developed by the Careers and Enterprise Company, is designed to ignite young imaginations and raise awareness of their future world of work. The programme brings learning alive by linking curriculum learning to careers and providing opportunities for pupils to meet inspiring employers, enabling students to explore different jobs and understand the skills that they will need for their future.

GivEnergy is the UK’s number 1 provider of residential battery storage and is a perfect example of the future opportunities available to today’s young learners. With a strong focus on innovative technology and sustainability, GivEnergy’s headquarters in Newcastle-under-Lyme and manufacturing plant in Stoke-on-Trent employ over 100 people locally, making it an exciting potential employer for young people across North Staffordshire.  We were delighted to collaborate with their not-for-profit education arm;, GivEducation and to support teachers in shaping tomorrow’s innovative workforce.

In January, over 30 primary school teachers from across North Staffordshire joined TILG’s Head of Curriculum, Education & Quality Rebecca Clarke and Partnerships Manager, Dan Mears at GivEnergy to participate in the first of the project’s primary school teacher encounters in the country!  Joined by Joe Basketts, Education Director at GivEducation, and George Rawding, Head of Communications at GivEnergy, teachers had the opportunity to engage directly with staff members from the respective organisations and were provided with practical examples and resources to enable them to embed careers into their primary curriculum. 

As part of the programme,  40 schools which have signed up to participate in the programme will receive access to a video-led challenge where pupils will recognise their skills as the employees of the future, whilst exploring sustainability and green careers.  The 5 session programme will culminate in students pitching their own innovative concept that could be developed and sold by GivEnergy in the future.  The interactive challenge resources will be made available to teachers via TILG’s proprietary online learning platform; LightBulb, in addition to a delivery guide and supporting resources to ensure that all pupils across the city are provided with a consistent and impactful learning experience. 

Joe Basketts, Education Director at GivEducation said, ““By allowing young learners the time to focus on their futures this early on in their school careers, we can not only contextualise learning outcomes for them but also inspire them to dream bigger when it comes to the type of careers they could achieve once they leave education. We’re immensely proud to be leading the way on this initiative, and we hope this can be a catalyst for other businesses nationwide to follow suit.”

Dan Mears, Partnerships Manager at TILG said: “It’s been a pleasure to support the Stoke & Staffs Careers Hub in rolling out The Careers & Enterprise Company’s ‘Start Small; Dream Big Primary Pilot across North Staffordshire.  As part of the programme, almost 40 teachers have taken part in the very first Primary Teacher encounter in the country and these interactions are so important because it allows us to impart knowledge into the people who are directly inspiring our future workforce. By equipping young people with key employability skills such as communication, problem solving and teamwork, we are better preparing them for an ever changing jobs market.  

A representative from The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Careers Hub said:  “A huge thank you to GivEnergy and GivEducation for showcasing how green tech is shaping the future, The Inspirational Learning Group for their unwavering support and all of the dedicated teachers who joined us, bringing passion and energy to embedding careers education into their primary curriculum”. These encounters are about more than just professional development; they’re about igniting a spark for the future in the minds of young learners. By empowering teachers with knowledge, resources, and industry connections, we’re building a brighter future where careers education begins early—because it’s never too soon to dream big!”

The programme will culminate in a celebratory finals event to be held in conjunction with Keele University on 26th of March 2025.

Our partners