Careers education is getting a boost in East Anglia after the area received a share of a £5m fund to establish a new 'hub'.

The New Anglia Careers Hub, one of 20 around England, will be made up of 32 schools and colleges in Ipswich, Norwich and along the A140 corridor, working with universities, training providers and employers to improve careers education for young people.

It will also work with the schools and boards in the Ipswich and Norwich opportunity areas, part of a government scheme to raise attainment for children in disadvantaged areas.

The hub will be delivered by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), working with an operational group which will include Chantry Academy in Ipswich as a lead school and Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils.

As part of the government's careers strategy, published in December, £5m will be made available over two years for the 20 national hubs which are designed to better prepare young people for the world of work. The New Anglia hub aims for every secondary school, academy, SEND (special education needs and disability) school, pupil referral unit (PRU) and further education college to: ? Have in place a trained and accredited careers leader with time to deliver careers education and employer engagement for all pupils.

? Be actively engaged with the New Anglia Enterprise Adviser Network, and be matched with at least one enterprise adviser.

? Enable every young person to experience at least one 'meaningful employer encounter' each year from years seven to 13.

Chris Starkie, New Anglia LEP chief executive, said the ambition is for the hub to be 'school-led'.

'Through extensive evidence gathering for the Norfolk and Suffolk economic strategy and a number of industry sector skills plans we've listened to business about their needs for the next generation of workers.

'The next step is to listen to our schools – but more than that, for the schools to set the agenda, both staff and pupils, all guided by our two lead schools, through the framework put in place by the LEP,' he said.

Claudia Harris, chief executive of the Careers and Enterprise Company, which developed the model for the careers hubs, added: 'We're excited by the potential impact of the hubs.'