Educating young people for employability: developing a school strategy for career development

1. Educating young people for employability: developing a school strategy for career development Gary Forrest

2. Career path

3. What is meant by employability?

4. “Employability skills are the skills that almost everyone needs to do almost any job” Thinking and solving problems Working together and communicating Understanding the business Self-management Using language effectively Using numbers effectively Using IT effectively Positive approach UK CESThe Employability Challenge

5. E = (Q + WE + S) x F

7. Developing a strategy for employability

8. What drives schools/colleges? F is for funding I is for inspection S is for statutory H is for hearts and minds of teachers

9. Intended outcomes Educating for employability

10. Creating a curriculum for employability What do we want to achieve? • Understanding • themselves; career opportunities; work and working practices; employers’ needs • Skills • enterprising; basic/functional; customer service • Qualities • have a go attitude; respect for others; respect for the environment

11. Intended outcomes Educating for employability Learning experiences

12. Creating a curriculum for employability How will we organise learning? • experience work – placement; visit • make choices and take responsibility – plan events • follow and create instructions • speak out and express views • engage in simulation and with visitors • reflect on and apply learning

13. Learning for employability Practising Watching Imitating Chatting Feedback Teaching and Helping Real-world problem solving Listening, transcribing & remembering Writing and sketching Learning on the fly

14. 5-19 Needs of individuals Intended outcomes Educating for employability Learning experiences School College Workplace People

15. Leadership and management

16. The leadership challenge – how are we doing? • Do we have a vision and planned outcomes for employability? • Do we have effective management and co-ordination in place? • Do we have policies in place or in development? • What resources do we use to support employability? • Are we compliant with legal requirements? • Do we recognise achievements?

17. Curriculum and assessment

18. Curriculum opportunities for career and work-related education • Explicit, planned content in all curriculum subjects • Specific lessons as part of a tutorial programme • Whole school/college activities • Specific projects and experiences

19. A curriculum for employability • Learning in a work context • Business involvement • Synthesis of theory and practice • experiential learning • Experiences of work • high fidelity or high validity • Aiming for progression to work, HE/FE

20. Purpose of study – English and mathematics • “All the skills of language are essential to participating fully as a member of society; pupils, therefore, who do not learn to speak, read and write fluently and confidently are effectively disenfranchised. “ • “It is essential to everyday life, critical to science, technology and engineering, and necessary for financial literacy and most forms of employment.” • National Curriculum

21. Purposes of National Curriculum subjects • Science - vital to the world’s future prosperity • Art & Design – contributes to the wealth of our nation • Citizenship - knowledge, skills and understanding to prepare them to play a full and active part in society • Computing – digitally literate at a level suitable for the future workplace

22. Purposes of National Curriculum subjects (2) • Design & technology - essential contribution to the wealth and well-being of the nation • History- equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. • Geography - inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people

23. Purposes of National Curriculum subjects (3) • Languages - a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures; equipping pupils to study and work in other countries • Music- increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement • PE - build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect

24. Assessment and accreditation

25. Partnerships and employer engagement

26. Developing students’ employability:working with partners • What is the rationale for partnership? • Who are our partners? • What can our partners provide?

27. Employer involvement – benefits to education • revenue and resources • governance • improved community profile • improved skills • professional development opportunities for teachers • higher staff morale • innovative options for curriculum delivery

28. Developing students’ employability:working with partners • What is the rationale for partnership? • Who are our partners? • What can our partners provide? • How can we engage new partners?

29. Benefits to employers • better prepared workforce • recruitment • staff development • business development • public relations • employee relations • force for change • interdependent community partnership • working with young people • individual creativity • parental aspect

30. Monitoring, evaluation and review

31. How do you know if your employability strategy is working? Unintended outcomes Inspection & accountability measures Parental / community / staff impact Attainment in qualifications Personal development / attitudes / motivation Skills / competencies / qualities

32. A strategy for employability • What understanding, skills and qualities do we want our students to have? • What experiences should they have? Where and when will they have them? • Who will be involved in planning, delivery and evaluation? Who are our partners and what can they offer? • How will we assess students’ employability learning? How will we evaluate our strategy?

33. Work roles Employment Rights and responsibilities Types of business Career options Money Self-employment Work experience Identities Enterprise project Individual learning plan Attributes and qualities Skills Knowledge Problem solver Teamworker Independent Enterprising Positive and enthusiastic Sociable Principled

34. Gary Forrest garydforrest@yahoo.co.uk www.educationforemployability.co.uk