Written by:
Mark Owen
Head of Services to Stakeholders
Careers Wales
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Careers Wales is encouraging businesses to join its Education Business Partnership which creates links between employers and schools to inspire the next generation into the world of work.
Mark Owen, Head of Services to Stakeholders at Careers Wales, outlines how business engagement with young people can be a mutually beneficial enterprise.
“Inspiring the next generation to build their career is at the heart of what we do at Careers Wales and since our creation, we’ve helped countless young people use their passion to fuel their futures.
“Our careers advisers support young people in pursuing their best path to a quality career. They help them to explore their personal interests and strengths, consider potential careers and identify qualifications and funding they might need, as well as empowering them with the career management skills they need to navigate a constantly evolving labour market.
“But sitting alongside this is an invaluable asset; real life experiences and a taster of the world of work direct from employers help develop the next generation of talent.
“Research has shown the long-term benefits of employer engagement with young people, revealing they are 25% less likely to become NEET[1] (not in employment, education or training) if they have taken part in four or more employer activities, and that young people who had participated in a careers talk with employers could expect, on average, a 1.6% wage premium compared to their peers who did not participate[2].
“We know that employers can help learners to make connections between what they study in school and the world of work and bring areas of the curriculum to life through authentic learning experiences. They can raise aspirations, motivate learners, enhance their awareness of the range of career opportunities available to them, and in doing so, positively influence subject choices and longer-term career planning. A survey of more than 500 teachers revealed that 90% thought that engaging children with employers has an impact on their academic achievement.[3]
“That’s where our Education Business Partnership (EBP) comes in. The EBP brings together schools and businesses with the aim of informing, inspiring and motivating learners about their career opportunities. Businesses can get involved in the EBP in a number of ways: from attending careers fairs, offering keen students work experience placements or tours of their premises, speaking at schools or becoming a part of our schools alumni project.
“Our team of dedicated business engagement advisers work closely with both the employers and schools to support the preparation and coordination of careers activities and ensure they meet the pupils’ learning needs.
“We work with hundreds of businesses of varying sizes across Wales to deliver a programme of employer engagement experiences in schools and colleges, from school assemblies to digital presentations to mock interview and CV workshops – all of which gives a taster of the world of work to young people.
“In the past year, we have coordinated 12 large careers fairs and two digital career discovery weeks, and helped facilitate over 300 online employer presentations. In addition to this, we have organised more than 1,000 events in secondary schools with major employers including BBC Cymru, Sony, Principality, Welsh Water and Castell Howell Foods as well as local and small businesses from across Wales.
“While some of these activities embody an employer’s first step towards supporting their local communities, further down the line we see many companies commit to our School Valued Partner scheme, where they support individual schools on a regular basis and form strong and mutually beneficial partnerships. Receiving recognition as a Valued Partner demonstrates a strong business commitment to nurturing future generations and engaging with local communities.
“One of the most significant things about this fantastic partnership work is that businesses, both large and small, are also investing in their own futures. By working with schools, employers are raising awareness of their business and sector, they can network with other businesses within the EBP, and they can take advantage of opportunities to support the achievement of community goals as part of corporate social responsibility plans.
“Perhaps more importantly, employers have access to Wales’ workforce of the future and can help develop their talent pipeline. Many young people may not be aware of the wide range of roles available within a sector, or indeed what the roles themselves entail, so educating them in the world of work is not only beneficial for their development but also opens the opportunity to gain potential future in-demand employees.
“Investing time in learner engagement will reap rewards in the future, as inspiring and educating the next generation about careers is instrumental to building a future workforce for Wales.”
Case study: Alun Griffiths construction inspire pupils in Haverfordwest
Alun Griffiths, a South Welsh construction firm, helped inform and inspire pupils in Haverfordwest about opportunities in the construction and archaeology industry during a project where both sectors are involved.
The construction firm is working on a project to upgrade roads in the area alongside Dyfed Archaeological Trust who they teamed up with to perform an area site dig as part of the upgrade process.
Nearly 40 pupils were able to see first-hand the different roles and responsibilities involved in the construction and archaeology sectors, and learn how the two organisations are contributing
to the Llanddewi Velfrey to Redstone Cross improvements scheme.
The students heard from an archaeology consultant about the industry, what they’d found on the site, including significant items from prehistoric human periods, and the various type of tasks archaeologists are required to carry out. They also heard from staff at Alun Griffiths about the variety of roles in construction.
Carla Rendell, social value manager at Alun Griffith, said:
“Informing and inspiring young people about the wide range of roles within our industry is so important in generating future employees to support the skills gaps, as well as assisting pupils to think about their career path.”
[1] Journal of Education and Work 2014: School-mediated employer engagement and labour market outcomes for young adults: wage premia, NEET outcomes and career confidence
[2] Journal of Education and Work 2016: Career education that works: An economic analysis using the British Cohort Study.
[3] Education and Employers 2017 report. Primary futures: Connecting life and learning in UK primary education
