THOUSANDS of people across Essex are already benefiting from the Essex Year of Opportunity.

The £1.33 million campaign by Essex County Council is running a series of programmes to inspire the next generation and remove barriers into work and education for all.

New figures show the Essex Year of Opportunity is helping children, young people and adults explore careers, learn new skills and build confidence.

Councillor Tony Ball, Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability is impressed with the results so far. He said: “The Essex Year of Opportunity is about helping people see what is possible. The figures show the campaign is already making a difference. Thousands of people are learning new skills, discovering careers and finding new opportunities. We want every resident to feel that they can reach their full potential.”

The highlights include:

18,000 children have taken part in the My Future programme. The careers advice campaign has so far created more than 180,000 career encounters. The programme helps young people meet employers and learn about different jobs.

The Step into STEAM programme has reached more than 1,000 pupils in Harlow, Tendring and Colchester. It helps young people discover careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and maths.

Libraries and campaigns have supported people to build reading confidence. 4,063 children joined the Winter Reading Challenge. Feedback shows 83% said they read more during the challenge.

The Adult and Young Adult Bingo Reading Challenge also proved popular. The challenge attracted 640 people. Participants gave it a high enjoyment score of 4.76 out of 5.

Digital learning is also growing through LinkedIn Learning in Essex libraries. So far there have been 2,069 users and 34,869 videos viewed.

Healthcare careers are another focus. NHS careers events have already engaged 1,846 students, helping them learn about the many roles in the NHS.

The campaign is also guiding people into work through the NHS Employability Programme.

In Mid and South Essex, 55 people signed up and some have already started healthcare jobs. At Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, eight people have received conditional job offers and two have already started work. Ten more people are on a volunteer pathway with guaranteed interviews.

Students are also learning more about healthcare careers. 318 students have taken part at Princess Alexandra Hospital. 450 students have engaged through East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

Sustainability projects are also growing thanks to the Essex Year of Opportunity. Eco Refill Shops are now running in 55 schools across Essex.

The Essex Year of Opportunity will run until September 2026. To discover more, visit:
https://www.essexyearofopportunity.co.uk/essex-year-opportunity.