AN initiative to bridge the gap between education and businesses officially launched this week during a careers fair at Middlewich High School.

The Middlewich Pledge, which will help prepare young people for work and fill the skills gap for employers, provides the chance for visits and meetings between students and businesses in the town.

Launched on Tuesday by town mayor Cllr Pam Farrell, Trevor Langston of the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry will oversee the scheme with support from Middlewich High School headteacher Keith Simpson.

Mr Langston said: “Middlewich has a real and unique opportunity to actively develop and progress the local talent and offer genuine career opportunities in a whole range of industries including public sector and private organisations such as automotive, engineering, IT, property, energy and marketing.

“The business community in Middlewich has demonstrated amazing support for The Middlewich Pledge and we are confident that this initiative will be of great value to the town, its young people and the growth of the local economy.”

More than 30 businesses were present at the careers fair, where Middlewich High School students aged between 11 and 16 – and even some primary school pupils – had a chance to find an industry they were interested in and speak to those involved.

The Pledge, which has also been successfully implemented in Crewe and Macclesfield, also aims to help teachers and students understand what employers are looking for when recruiting school leavers.

Mr Simpson said: “We are delighted to have hosted the Middlewich Careers Fair at the High School, which has proven to be a resounding success.

“Our students were very keen to learn more about the opportunities available for careers in Middlewich and how the various companies are able to support them.

“We believe that it is very important for our school to work with potential employers based locally for our students to gain valuable experience, grow holistically as individuals and be work-ready in order to meet the local skills gap.”

Cllr Farrell added: “I am very proud to be able to announce this initiative for our young people of Middlewich.

"We are very lucky to have the support of some fantastic companies that have chosen to base their offices in Middlewich, and Cheshire, which have a continual need for new talent.”

To find out more about the scheme, contact Trevor Langston on 01270 504700 or trevor.langston@sccci.co.uk, or follow the Pledge on Twitter @MwichPledge or on Facebook ‘The Middlewich Pledge’.