Sarah Hitchcock has just returned from Vancouver in Canada, where she met a new partner to discuss opportunities for vocational work placements in 2022, funded by the newly launched Turing Scheme.
She describes some of the highlights from her visit..
‘I visited potential placement hosts to discuss opportunities for placements for in the Travel & Tourism, Construction, Sports, Creative Industries and Business sectors.
My visit included a trip to Stanley Park, a 1000-acre public park in the centre of Vancouver, situated in natural West Coast rainforest, with beaches and views of the sea and mountains. Some of the park’s half a million trees and several hundred years old and nearly 300ft high.’
‘All the students we send will have the opportunity to enjoy the park during their stay. We also hope to offer eco-tourism placements at the park, providing visitors with a more meaningful experience of the park, through information on tourist attractions, wildlife issues and the cultural and natural history of the park.’
Working with the local community
‘I met with key staff at Cambie Village and Mountpleasant business associations, who can offer a range of placements, including Creatives, Travel & Tourism and Business. The organisations’ initiatives support improvements to the local community to ensure that these remain vibrant areas to live, work and play.’
‘Other meetings included the Vancouver Film Festival, the Cultch, an Arts and Cultural Hub and Embers, which supports people facing barriers to work through economic and employment opportunities.
I was struck by the friendly and open interactions I had with placements hosts; they were all curious to know about the students we will send and the opportunities we could co-create to ensure that both students and host organisations can benefit from the experience, through sharing knowledge, experience and understanding.’
‘I’d like to pass my thanks, to Tim and Mina, for organising my visit, and to the many placements I met, who were so generous with their time, in talking to me about the work their organisations do in the city.’
