CAREERS GUIDANCE
Steering
them on to
the right
career paths
With employers
E RECENTLY sent a mail and resources which could be
0 letters spent elsewhere; recruitment is
batoning down
requesting work experience not on the agenda, and any kind
places. From these we of corporate social responsibility
received 140 positive can feel like a luxury in a downturn.
the recession
W
merge of 1,50
responses immediately. Reasons to get involved are
It was not a bad response, sometimes difficult to justify, although
hatches, pupils
but far short of the 240 placements required for the evidence from previous times of recession
year 10 students. Since then, 52 firms have found it demonstrates that companies which invest
have to focus on the key
necessary to either cancel the placement or are only in staff development recover much quicker than those According to Ms Willsher, many young people
able to offer one week, or a few days, rather than the which do not. really struggle to demonstrate their strengths, so
skills that will make them
two weeks the pupils are really looking for and need. It is not only the recession that is a problem. Over working closely with students and helping them
At a time when the importance and value of careers the previous two years the number of work experience to understand what skills they are actually gaining
advice and vocational education is gaining more placements available has diminished. Firms are from various activities at school will make it easier
employable, says careers
attention, employers necessarily have to reconsider becoming increasingly tired of being approached for for them to link these strengths to the workplace
their commitments to schools. The recession is a placements and the health and safety regulations that – demonstrating analytical skills through spreadsheet
co-ordinator Karen Betty
major factor in their lack of enthusiasm, as arranging are placed upon them may not allow them to offer work or leadership skills as captain of the hockey
work experience involves using up valuable staff time more than a “shadowing” position. team, for example.
Even during the good times it can sometimes be Schools need to be helping young people to get a
difficult for businesses to see the benefits, and working clearer understanding of the actual needs of businesses
with young people is not always problem-free. and to think more about the opportunities presented by
The introduction of the new Diplomas, the greater change. Students benefit from knowing what they can
emphasis on careers education in PSHE, and calls for achieve by adapting their skills and qualifications to
more school-business interaction will only increase the new and emerging markets which will come out
the need for their involvement. of the downturn.
Furthermore, the challenge of engaging business in For example, at Northampton Academy we have
work experience and in other educational partnerships set ourselves a target of ensuring that all our students
is not all that has been accentuated by the recession. in year 10 and 11 have an up-to-date, ready-to-go
Currently, there appears to be three main groups in CV. Before they go on work experience, everyone is
schools. Students who are open to advice and guidance required to have a completed CV and employers are
and welcome the opportunities offered to them. A then able to provide real-life feedback on its contents.
second group that thinks they are already the finished We use the online b-live service to get everyone
article, and an employer should be pleased to have through. This way the pupils can be updating their CV
them, and a third that is almost fatalistic – they may of work, and linking this to other features, including the
have seen the effect of the recession on their parents career-matcher, an interactive test that helps young people
and do not want to take the risk of accumulating any match their qualifications, skills and interests to relevant
debt by going to university and perhaps not having a careers; and the action plans, which suggest activities
concrete career at the end of it. to help young people realise their career ambitions. We
This results in a difficult balance for anyone also use the career games, which enable young people to
involved in careers in schools, with the need to develop the skills used in the workplace.
be realistic, especially now, but also not to crush The whole process of thinking through future
aspirations. pathways is invaluable. We ask pupils to identify what
Common sense suggests, along with every careers might interest them and then work backwards,
indication we have from firms in my school’s looking at what they need to achieve this.
(Northampton Academy) region, that competition for They can then make the link between the
jobs is fiercer than ever. It is important that students qualifications they are working towards and the work
spend even more time researching potential employers experience that will provide evidence of their skills,
and ensuring that they understand exactly what it is and this hopefully encourages them to think about
they are looking for. alternative changes that may need to take place in
Work experience is often a “reality check”, when order to achieve their goals.
the student realises how valuable jobs are and are The academy runs future plans talks for years 10
often informed of how many applications may be and 11, taking one hour for small tutor groups to look
received for each one available. It is imperative that at the actual local job positions available, and talk
Marston Robing Ltd is proud to introduce our Children’s Graduation
we provide the tools to allow students to build on this about the crucial difference between a job and work-
Gown collection. We are the only UK Robemaker supplying graduation
knowledge and focus on their own post-16 plans. based learning. We discuss the importance of finding
gowns for children of all ages. Our gowns are available in a choice
It is not just a case of the qualifications required, a position that offers a chance of qualifications and
but also recognising: the types of soft skills that an much greater earning potential for the future. We also
of sizes and colours to
employer finds desirable (such as the need to deal give students the opportunity to talk to contacts from
complement your school
with people, difficult situations, or a degree of self- local businesses to provide a taste of realism.
management); the styles of behaviour involved in The world of work can sometimes appear alien
uniform, crest or logo.
that job (informal or formal, customer-facing or not, to students and this is at the heart of the problem.
the culture of that industry and particular business); Employers are an extremely valued part of our
We currently have many
and the attitude that will have been outlined in the job extended education programme and it is important
aspirational organisations,
specification. that we adapt further to consider their needs in this
For example, Carole Willsher, recruitment time of economic crisis.
secondary schools and
specialist at British Gas, is expecting to receive a It is essential that we continue to work with
primary schools as our
larger number of applications from high quality employers to ensure initiatives such as work experience
candidates than usual because so many people are can be improved.
loyal customers.
out of work. The recession is making the situation more difficult,
She said: “While qualifications are important you but in terms of focusing minds on the seriousness of
either have them or you don’t. It isn’t qualifications career choices and the need for attention to their own
Please call +44 (0)1264 339703
alone that determine whether candidates make it to the skills and qualifications, it could be the making of
interview stage of the recruitment process – it is the many young people. SecEd
or visit www.marstonrobing.com
whole job application. This is why it is so important
that young people understand their strengths and are • Karen Betty is careers co-ordinator at Northampton
able to use examples to demonstrate these.” Academy.
14 SecEd • June 11 2009
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