Careers advice business is booming

Second year anniversary celebrated with expansion revelation (@luminatederby)

A booming careers advice business is celebrating its second year anniversary with expansion news after an impressive year.

In the last 12 months, Luminate Careers, has not only doubled the number of schools that it works with, but has more than tripled the number of staff on its team with plans already in the pipeline to further expand in the coming months.

It was back in March 2019, that careers advisors Jess Townsend and Kat Garland, with over 25 years’ combined experience, took the brave leap to launch their dream venture.

Following phenomenal success that outstripped all their predictions in their first 12 months, the second year for Jess, of Tutbury, and Kat, of Derby, has been just as impressive.

Business continuing to extend across the board

The number of schools it works with has doubled from 15 to 30, and it’s gone from just two founders to a seven-strong team of associates, with plans to recruit more qualified advisors to continue its expansion during the next six months.

Its geographical reach has also extended from Staffordshire and Derbyshire to also include Nottingham, and new schools that it’s started to work with include John Taylor High School in Barton-under-Needwood.

Pandemic has made people think more about their future options

Jess, who has an MSc in Occupational Psychology, said: “The uncertainty of the pandemic, especially with regards to the labour market, has made people think more about their future options.

“As a career guidance company, we had to act fast as well as creatively to work out how we would support our students through this time – one that no other student, careers service or school have operated within before. 

“And as a small business we had to ensure that we were implementing those all-important resilience and creativity skills that we talk to students about to find new ways to work.”

The pandemic and successive lockdowns have positively impacted its business growth, and led to it adding to the technology it uses to deliver support to students, which includes the development of a YouTube channel as well as other online resources.

Adaptability and digital skills key to workplace future

Kat said: “It’s been extremely important for us to be flexible to meet the individual needs of our partner schools, as well as the young people – who’ve all been so individually affected by the pandemic.

“If there was ever a lesson in why we need to support young people to develop valuable skills needed for the future world of work, coping with change, adaptability, and the use of digital skills, it is here now.

“Despite all the challenges that we’ve all faced over the last year, we’re delighted to have been able to grow the business so much in our second year and we will continue to grow over the coming months.”