Employer Interaction with Schools

David Blagbrough

Director, Inspire!

Inspire! Education Business Partnership Brokering relationships between schools and

employers Meeting the needs of schools Supporting young people NEET Meeting the needs of employers Hackney, Camden and Islington

3,500 work experience placements 240 activities 800 Local and City companies 1700 employee volunteers 14,000 students

Current landscape Teaching and learning Institutional framework Work related learning External

What employers need

Future employees who Are literate and numerate Are able to communicate Are team players Can problem solve Are flexible and adaptable Have initiative Are self aware Have the right attitude Can organise and time manage

Do schools deliver?

What schools seek from employers

Support for Learning and enriching curriculum Progression into and skills for work or learning Raising aspirations and motivation Informing career pathways Development of social capital Governance and professional advice Continuing professional development Funding

Closing the gap Working with employers to provide

Work experience Company visits Continuous professional development Preparation for work Numeracy and literacy skills Financial literacy Presentational, CV writing and interview skills Support for enterprise skills Curriculum enrichment Mentoring support Careers education School governance

Relationship models Sponsorship UBS & BridgeThemed support Linklaters & Clapton Responsive partnership Freshfield & HaggerstonBorough focus Herbert Smith & Tower

HamletsDepartmental support Olswang & HaverstockActivity partnerships Mentoring

How can it go wrong? Lack of teacher involvement Curriculum pressure Not embedded in curriculum Volunteer drop out Volunteers weak at engagement Over promising: being realistic about employee support Inadequate engagement of senior managers Geography Failure to recognise mutuality of benefit Cultural divide Lack of business networks Lack of longer term commitment Inadequate impact measurement

Ramping up Delivery

Tailored WEXP CEIAG and integrated

packages Languages International Networking Supporting parents

Employee volunteers Hidden skills/passions Responding to diversity Improve training

Employer engagement Working with supply chain More partnerships with

schools

Policy Starting early Long term commitment Support brokers

Employment Apprenticeships Nurturing future

employees Creating jobs Risk capital for enterprise Recruitment and selection

practices Impact measurement

Young people Employer involvement

Where will it lead….? Preparation for work, but there are no jobs…. SMEs

Drivers of growth Opportunity cost Support for SMEs

Voluntary and Community Sector SMEs Links with communities Transition/pastoral support

Working for Youth