Enterprise Advisers

What is an Enterprise Adviser?

An Enterprise Adviser is like a friendly guide and a critical friend that helps schools (mainstream and specialist), sixth forms, and colleges connect with the real world of work using core skills to create and achieve a careers programme and strategy. They are willing and able to volunteer their time to achieve positive change.

Here's what they do

Enterprise Advisers are like a business consultants that volunteer their time. They want to make a positive difference to a particular school or setting. An Enterprise Adviser's goal is to help students get ready for their best next step, support the school or setting they are matched with to provide a stable careers offering, be a critical friend to the Careers Leader and champion careers and skills.

Our Enterprise Advisers come from all industry sectors and professional backgrounds. With this they have a vast array of skills and knowledge they can share with schools.

Benefits for you

If you become an Enterprise Adviser, you will be:

• Giving back to your community and joining a national and local network
• Showing off your brand and industry
• Helping schools deliver world class career guidance to their students
• Supporting the Senior Leadership team to assess their careers plan and undertake strategic planning in a new context
• Providing an employer's perspective on how schools or colleges can embed labour market information and opportunities into the careers programme
• Understanding education better
• Learning new things and building strong relationships

So, it's all about helping students and making a difference! If you are interested, you can contact the East Sussex Careers Hub at Careers.Hub@eastsussex.gov.uk or visit the Careers and Enterprise Company website.

Enterprise Adviser Profiles

Dan Hayman

• Job title: Estimating Director
• Industry sector: Construction
• School matched with: Chailey Secondary School
• Interests: Rock climbing, maths, and playing the bass guitar
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: I'm really looking forward to working with Chailey School to provide support and guidance to the students looking to further their skills and pursue a career in their chosen field.
• Career journey: After completing a BA Hons in Jazz Studies, I worked as a self-employed musician for over a decade. I then completed a BSc Hons in Quantity Surveying whilst working as an Estimator for a building contractors which is where I am currently employed.

Hrvoje Loncarevic

• Job title: Executive Head Chef
• Industry sector: Hospitality
• School matched with: Willingdon Community School
• Interests: My passion has always been to inspire and train young adults and have discussions about kitchen, food innovation and hospitality.
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: I can pass on my knowledge and support careers across Eastbourne.
• Career journey: I have 24 years of experience working in 5 star and fine dining restaurants, stadiums and events across the UK and a wealth of experience in building and inspiring teams.

Jo Cloute

• Job title: HR Manager
• Industry sector: Manufacturing
• School matched with: The St Leonards Academy
• Interests: DIY, Gardening and long walks
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: When I was at school in the mid-eighties, I wanted to study electrical engineering but sadly my career adviser told me that this would not be suitable for girls to do, so he advised me to do something like, accounts or secretarial studies, yet all of my working life I have worked in the electrical industry and because I was not interested in the subjects I did do, sadly I left the sixth form after the first year with poor exam results. So, as an EA I wanted to make a difference, to show people in schools and colleges that there are so many different career paths they can explore, help them find out more about what employers are looking for, plus what qualifications they will need, give them information on training scheme or apprenticeship so they can focus their energy into getting a job at the end of their education. Plus, I wanted to raise awareness of the manufacturing industry and what jobs are available in our sector.
• Career journey: I left school in the mid-eighties and started working for the electrical wholesaler NKM/Bennett and Fountain as an admin assistant, then in 1988 I started working for Sussex Brassware, now Focus SB Ltd, and other than the  time off to have my two sons, I have worked in the same place, however over that time I have worked in most of the admin departments, from sales, customer service, health and safety, quality, credit control, purchase ledger and in the last ten years in HR. Over that time Focus SB has given me the tools to do my job by investing in my training and I have achieved qualifications in Management, digital skills, mental health and in HR, so I also wanted to pass on to students that, you can change your mind, go in a different direction at any time and you are never too old to retrain.

Joy Sheen

• Interests: One of my key passions is to inspire young women to consider engineering as a career choice along with the methods of accessing employment such as apprenticeships or joining our graduate scheme.
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: I am inspired to support careers education across East Sussex to encourage young people to consider engineering as a career. Being such as a broad topic, it is great to speak with students through school assemblies, classroom sessions and careers events to raise awareness of opportunities open to them.
• Career journey: During my working life, I have worked in a variety of sectors including manufacturing, finance, transport and the NHS, working at supervisor, advisor and managerial level. After working in payroll for 14 years, I went back to college in Brighton to embark on a HR career path, graduating in 2003, and I have never looked back.

Linda Bonner

• Job title: HR Business Partner
• Industry sector: Charity
• School matched with: Plumpton College
• Interests: I love being outdoors whether that;s walking, horse-riding, or just pottering around my garden.
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: It's a great opportunity to share and work in partnership. I can help the college as an Enterprise Adviser to make connections to help their students with work experience, meeting experts in the area they are studying, and understanding what options they have when they move on from their study whilst I learn how to make myself more relevant as an employer for young people and what they want from a career. Working for the charity sector, I am really aware that the National Trust would not be able to open it's doors and do the things they are doing without volunteers. They not only give their time, but also bring along all their experience and passion for what we do and I have found volunteering as an Enterprise Adviser has given me a similar experience in that my skills, experience and knowledge have been welcomed at Plumpton College, but I have also learnt from them and their students which has been hugely rewarding personally and beneficial to me as an employer.
• Career journey: I have worked in a number of sectors including retail, insurance and banking both working as part of a time and heading up functions before moving across to work in Human Resources where I have worked as both a Specialist for Learning, Resourcing and Talent Management and a Generalist as a Business Partner supporting a variety of directors in I.T, Risk, Finance, Procurement and Operations. I moved to work in the charity sector as I wanted to experience working for a not-for-profit organisation and now get to work in the most amazing locations in the South East working for the National Trust.

Mark Weeks-Pearson

• Job title: Director
• Industry sector: Accountancy
• School matched with: Hastings Academy
• Interests: Helping clients grow their businesses and, when not working, anything sea-related, currently paddle-boarding.
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: I grew up and studied in Hastings. It's not the easiest region to progress a career, but has a lot going for it!
• Career journey: I went to university and travelled, but found it hard to find a career. I moved back to Hastings when I was 24 to train as an accountant at Ashdown Hurrey. I am now one of the owners and directors with over 50 staff across 3 offices in Hastings, Bexhill and Battle.

Sarra Hawes

• Job title: Director
• Industry sector: Construction
• School matched with: The Lindfield School
• Interests: Empowering young people to recognise their accomplishments and opportunities in the workplace.
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: I have been involved for most of my working career from a young age as I was a minority in my industry and wanted to raise awareness, especially as there is a massive shortage of trades/management positions at the moment. I feel being an Enterprise Adviser is an amazing opportunity to share our life skills and work experience with young people and also of our experience in the field of work we are in.
• Career journey: I have been a site engineer/manager for Llewllyns and ran my own business since 2013. I worked some part-time jobs whilst my children were young, but have mainly worked in construction.

Scott Monk

• Job title: Managing Director
• Industry sector: Electrical construction
• School matched with: East Sussex College Group
• Interests: Family and sport
• Why are you inspired to support careers education across East Sussex?: I see careers as being one of the key drivers in ensuring a connection from school/college to the workplace. Students can learn a variety of skills, knowledge and insight from workplaces that can have a direct result to their current education, behaviour and attendance. If we don't give career opportunities to students then how do we expect them to be work-ready when they join the employment sector.
• Career journey: I started as a PE teacher and Head of Sixth Form before taking on our family business with my brother which I have continued to do since.

Resources and support

For materials to support you to inspire and prepare students for work, head to the the Careers and Enterprise Company website and check out the Careers Hub's Padlet board.

More ideas to bring employers and students together:

• Take part in Industry Champion activities, such as careers talks, what's my line and mock interviews.
• Have students meet school alumni.
• Network with employers to help young people develop their confidence. It provides an opportunity to have conversations with adults, and ask employability questions. Students learn skills such as eye contact, speaking up, and how to perfect the handshake.
• Business breakfasts offer an opportunity for students to meet employers who can give insight into their career journey, role and sector, with an opportunity for Q&A.
• Careers days or careers fairs take many forms. Schools like employers to have an interactive stand, with activities to promote their business and bring them to life. Employers enjoy talking to students help them to understand the variety of job roles and pathways into careers as well as ideas for the future and labour market information.
• Offer work experience placements. Please contact the Work Experience team at workexperience@eastsussex.gov.uk for more information.

For more information about all of these opportunities, please contact the East Sussex Careers Hub at Careers.Hub@eastsussex.gov.uk