A Cumbrian careers guidance group is outperforming its counterparts across the country.

The Cumbria Careers Hub was launched in January as a partnership between Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, the Careers and Enterprise Company and 40 local schools and colleges, together with universities, training providers, employers and career professionals.

It is one of only 20 piloted in England with the objective of ensuring young people are better prepared for the world of work.

An independent audit found the hub is performing above the national average in areas including establishing a stable careers programme, linking curriculum learning to careers and delivering encounters with employers and employees.

In total the organisation was found to be delivering above average in six of the Gatsby benchmarks, which are national standards defining best practice in careers provision.

Craig Ivison, Cumbria LEP head of employment and skills for the LEP, said: “Cumbria Careers Hub has shown the benefit of bringing employers together with schools and colleges to offer young people across Cumbria insights into the world of work.

“Since its inception, it has been working with Cumbria LEP and supporting schools and colleges in delivering an ambition for world class careers education set out in Cumbria LEP’s Careers Strategy for Cumbria.

“This partnership between employers, schools and colleges has built on excellent practice evident in parts of the county to secure greater consistency and depth in the quality of careers education and guidance and is delivering results.

“I’m particularly pleased to see that performance against two of the benchmarks – encounters with employers and employees and experience of workplaces – is right up there with the best in the country."

Ella Wardleworth-Phillips, North West regional lead for the Careers and Enterprise Company, said: “Cumbria Careers Hubs has made excellent progress in the first academic year, delivering through a truly collaborative model.

“Young people in Cumbria will benefit from the ability to access a range of meaningful encounters and quality careers education.”