Jo Davies, Career Ready co-ordinator for the Isle of Man, is delighted to have won an award for her work.

She enjoyed success at the Career Ready awards ceremony in Canary Wharf, London.

The event is the flagship event of the year for Career Ready, which is a not-for-profit organisation.

It is a celebration of the students, employer volunteers and teachers nominated for prestigious awards.

Jo scooped the Santander Employability Champion for the North West.

On receiving her award Mrs Davies, who lives in the north of the island, said: ‘This award should be shared with the rest of the local advisory board members.’

They include:

Jonathan Hall, Andrew Cole and Lorna Trevethan fromPDMS.

Duncan Mcleod from AFD Software Ltd.

Annette Baker, Ramsey Grammar School)

Maff Long, QE2

Shane Moss, UCM

Lulu Gillow UCM

Graham Cregeen (MHK)

Tom Gough, Thomas Patrick Creative Agency Ltd

Owen Cutajar, MICTA

Fergus Lole

Mrs Davies said: ‘They have all contributed to the programme either through funding, sourcing mentors and help finding summer internships’. Mrs Davies combines her work as a business studies teacher at Ramsey Grammar School with that of being the island’s Career Ready co-ordinator.

The programme has successfully helped 50 students since it was launched in 2014 and has been instrumental in making STEM students ‘career ready’.

[STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and maths]

Evidence of the success is Stephanie Dunne from Ramsey Grammar School who told of the benefits that the programme had given her.

She said: ‘I was given a mentor who helped me with preparation for my summer internship.

‘We met for one hour every month, where we discussed things such as interview techniques, organising workloads, setting goals and communicating well with a range of professional people. It was great experience to take responsibility for my own work schedule and to be committed to my own project’

The Career Ready programme has been running in the island since 2014 and currently involves all five high schools and UCM to deliver a STEM themed Career Ready programme to meet the needs of the growing STEM sector.

The following is offered:

Masterclasses: Students undertake a series of six to eight masterclasses alongside their school studies, covering topics such as networking, communication, organising oneself in the workplace etc.

Professional mentoring: Volunteers are matched to a specific student based on their industry, interests and/or hobbies and act as their sounding board, guide and critical friend.

Workplace visits: These visits give students a chance to see the working world first-hand. These are opportunities to discover new industries and roles and gain a stronger understanding of potential career paths. Visits are held throughout the year at business such as PDMS, Zurich & Linked In.

Summer Internship: Students take part in a paid four- to six-week summer work placement, allowing them to put their new skills into practice, work as a team and learn the importance of turning up on time every day.

Capital experience: A trip to London to kick start the Career Ready programme. The students undertake a workplace visit at a global IT company, previously Linked In, Accenture and Ministry of Defence. All students undertake a masterclass from Action Jackson on Networking & Communication.