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Why business, education and careers sector leaders must join forces: reducing zig zags

Dr Deirdre Hughes, OBE & Prof. Jenny Bimrose

Warwick University, Institute for Employment Research

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Public Sector Policy Issues

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Waves of change

• Curriculum redesign and qualification frameworks

‘Helping young people to obtain genuine work experience – and, therefore, what the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) calls ‘employability skills’ – should be one of the highest priorities for 16-18 education policy in the next few years’ (p. 130).

From September 2013, ‘a requirement for all 16-19 year olds to undertake work experience was included in study programme principles’

Work Inspiration: greater levels of employer engagement

Compelling evidence designed to captures the imagination of employers, educators and career development professionals alike.

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Work Inspiration Findings

Advantages for pupils: insights to the world of work; increased knowledge of certain industries; enhanced or more realistic career aspirations; ‘insider advice’ from employees; improved work-readiness; and improved transitions to work or other forms of education.  

Advantages for employers: enhanced recruitment and retention; increased levels of awareness and positive reputation of the business within a community; and the development of skills and competencies (e.g. supporting the learning and development of others). These are of value to their employer and are often featured in organisational competency frameworks.

Bimrose, J., Brown, A., Behle, H., Barnes, S.A., Hughes, D., Andrews, D., Davies, E., and Wiseman, J. (in press). Understanding the link between employers and schools and the National Careers Service. London: Department for

Business, innovation & Skills (BIS) Research Report Series.

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https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/205147/bis-13-919-national-careers-council-report-an-aspirational-nation-creating-a-culture-change-in-careers-provison.pdf

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Supportive systems of work experience for students

The ‘brokered’ model whereby ‘local or national intermediary organisations source employers and make them available to schools and colleges

The ‘deep brokered’ model represented by ‘Business Class’, whereby local staff facilitate negotiations between a lead local business and a small consortium of schools

The ‘autonomous actor/market’ model, as exemplified by ‘Inspiring the Future’ - a new model of connecting employers and schools through use of a national gateway (a secure website)

The ‘school or college alone’ model. Schools and especially colleges invest in their own staff resources to find and work with local employers Mann, A. and Virk, B. (2013). Profound employer engagement in education: What it is and options for scaling it up. London: Edge Foundation. Retrieved from: http://www.edge.co.uk/research/profound-employer-engagement-in-education-what-it-is-and-options-for-scaling-it-up

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Enterprise

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STEM

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Work Inspiration

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• Over 13,000 volunteers from 3,000 different organisations and growth is steadily rising

• Over 4,500 teachers from more than 2,700 schools and colleges have already signed up, and a recently soft launch of Primary Futures campaign to primary schools

• Over 23,000 messages have been sent from volunteers to teachers with over 17,000 since Sept 2013

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School Teacher Cumulative Line Graph Volunteer Cumulative Line Graph

Inspiring the Future: Inspiring Women Campaign

• The Inspiring the Future: Inspiring Women campaigns aims to get 15,000 inspirational women by the end of 2014 into schools, talking to girls to broaden their horizons and raise aspirations

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Reducing Zig Zags

The Women’s Business Council (2013) ‘Starting Out – Evidence Paper’ highlights the need for greater employers’ engagement in work experience and information, including advice on how to tackle gender stereotypes and encourage non-traditional paths or efforts to smooth the transition into employment.

The National Careers Council (NCC) (2013) indicates there is an urgent requirement for the National Careers Service to become more visible to employers (p. 17) and makes the case for ‘employer input at a strategic level, national level’ through the creation of a high-level Employer-led Advisory Board as a means of recognising and cementing essential links (p. 18).

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Reducing Zig Zags

Strategies to define and implement appropriate measures to strengthen employer/education links must somehow connect with career development professionals’ work

Thank you!

Dr Deirdre Hughes, OBE & Professor Jenny Bimrose

Email: deirdre.hughes3@btinternet.com

jenny.bimrose@warwick.ac.uk

Warwick University, Institute for Employment Research (IER)www.ier.ac.uk

UKCEShttps://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-commission-for-employment-and-

skills

DMH & Associates Ltd. www.deirdrehughes.org