Creating social value in the latest industrial revolution
As Your Ambition launches its new name in 2019, founding trustees Brian Kelly and Eddie Lee reflect on the many changes that have taken place since our charity was created 35 years ago.
1984 was a year of challenges and achievements for the UK. Youth unemployment stood at a record high, with 1.2m 16-24 year olds out of work. Miners were on strike and economic growth plunged.
Yet the early 80s were also a time of optimism for the country. Torvill and Dean inspired the nation with their Winter Olympics gold medal. The Thames Barrier opened, an engineering feat that continues to protect millions of residents. And the first Apple Macintosh personal computer went on sale, part of a technological revolution that swept the globe.
Creation through collaboration
1984 was also the year that saw the creation of Your Ambition. Originally named ‘South East Essex Technology Centre’, our charity was formed through an innovative collaboration between Essex County Council, Rochford District Council and major players in the IT industry. These included Access (now Mastercard), British Telecom (BT), International Computers Ltd (now part of Fujitsu) and Sony. Together these public and private sector partners could see the challenges faced by 16-24 year olds. They could also see the potential opportunities: by investing in training, we could improve people’s life chances. In turn, business and wider society would benefit from a talented, motivated workforce with the skills needed for the IT revolution taking place.
Making the most of talents
Fast forward 35 years and the world has changed in many ways. Yet some of the challenges our charity set out to address are still with us today. Our nation is still recovering from the effects of global recession. We face uncertainties around Brexit. And the UK is ranked as the fifth most unequal country in Europe. Still too many people experience barriers to making the most of their talents. And too many employers feel they can’t find the right skills for the latest industrial revolution and today’s global marketplace.
Partnership ethos
That’s why Your Ambition’s commitment to creating opportunities, in collaboration with partners, remains as strong as it was in 1984. Together we support young people and adults to develop skills, achieve personal goals and reach new heights. Our work has expanded beyond IT training, with our new strategy embracing an increasingly diverse range of activities and a much larger geography. From enabling STEM initiatives and developing digital skills of older people, to funding housing projects and supporting ex-offenders, our ethos of working in partnership to unlock potential remains the same.
1984 was a year of challenges and achievements for the UK. Youth unemployment stood at a record high, with 1.2m 16-24 year olds out of work. Miners were on strike and economic growth plunged.
Yet the early 80s were also a time of optimism for the country. Torvill and Dean inspired the nation with their Winter Olympics gold medal. The Thames Barrier opened, an engineering feat that continues to protect millions of residents. And the first Apple Macintosh personal computer went on sale, part of a technological revolution that swept the globe.
Creation through collaboration
1984 was also the year that saw the creation of Your Ambition. Originally named ‘South East Essex Technology Centre’, our charity was formed through an innovative collaboration between Essex County Council, Rochford District Council and major players in the IT industry. These included Access (now Mastercard), British Telecom (BT), International Computers Ltd (now part of Fujitsu) and Sony. Together these public and private sector partners could see the challenges faced by 16-24 year olds. They could also see the potential opportunities: by investing in training, we could improve people’s life chances. In turn, business and wider society would benefit from a talented, motivated workforce with the skills needed for the IT revolution taking place.
Making the most of talents
Fast forward 35 years and the world has changed in many ways. Yet some of the challenges our charity set out to address are still with us today. Our nation is still recovering from the effects of global recession. We face uncertainties around Brexit. And the UK is ranked as the fifth most unequal country in Europe. Still too many people experience barriers to making the most of their talents. And too many employers feel they can’t find the right skills for the latest industrial revolution and today’s global marketplace.
Partnership ethos
That’s why Your Ambition’s commitment to creating opportunities, in collaboration with partners, remains as strong as it was in 1984. Together we support young people and adults to develop skills, achieve personal goals and reach new heights. Our work has expanded beyond IT training, with our new strategy embracing an increasingly diverse range of activities and a much larger geography. From enabling STEM initiatives and developing digital skills of older people, to funding housing projects and supporting ex-offenders, our ethos of working in partnership to unlock potential remains the same.
