Working with employers
- Work Information
- Emma Finamore
- Last updated 10 Jan 2020
Working with employers is obviously important to teachers and school staff: our School & College Leaver Careers Market 2016 Annual Research Report told us that 74.8% of careers advisers said they want to speak to school leaver employers about work shadowing, insight events, office visits and talks/workshops in schools.
Hearing from and engaging with those already out in the world of work is a great way for young people to learn first-hand about opportunities, inspiring them in a different way to traditional classroom learning and careers guidance sessions with teachers or careers advisers. This is why working with external bodies should form part of any schools’ careers guidance strategy.
As of September 2012, Section 29 of the Education Act 2011 has placed schools “under a duty to secure access to independent careers guidance for their pupils”. In practice, the statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE) says that this means schools are expected to work in partnership with external and expert careers guidance providers – this can include engagement with employers – as appropriate, to ensure your pupils get good advice on the full range of post-16 options.
Schools have a role to play in supporting their pupils to make well-informed and realistic decisions by providing access to impartial and independent information and guidance about the range of education and training options that are most likely to help young people achieve their ambitions.
Our Working with Employers section aims to help you engage effectively with employers – from high profile, international brands to local businesses – to deliver diverse, engaging and (most importantly) useful careers guidance to your students.
We cover essentials such as helping your students get good work experience, setting up talks and workshops with employers, and helping your students take advantage of opportunities like insight days and careers fairs; even tips on organising careers fairs at your school, with both local and national employers.
