Benchmark 5

Encounters with Employers and Employees

DEFINING ‘MEANINGFUL - A focus on ensuring young people have multiple meaningful encounters which meet the following definitions:
• have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
• be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
• have opportunities for two-way interactions between the young person and the employer
• be followed by time for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through the encounter
OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND EMPLOYERS - Encounters with employers, employees and the self-employed help young people transition from education to work. They also result in better outcomes for young people, including being more ready for the workplace; having a reduced likelihood of not being in education, employment or training (NEET); and increased careers awareness, motivation and confidence. Encounters with employers can also boost academic attainment, especially for lower performing students, and have been linked to increased adult earnings. There are tangible benefits for employers too. More than nine in ten say business engagement with education is a good way to close skills gaps, improve growth and increase the diversity of their workforce

RANGE OF APPROACHES - Employer encounters should be broad, inclusive and well-sequenced throughout the careers programme. Whatever approach is taken, the focus should be on the encounters being meaningful

EXPANDING ACCESS TO A RANGE OF ENCOUNTERS - We are there to help employers navigate the practical challenges of working with the education sector, such as communication and scheduling, and showing different ways to get involved.
EARLY-CAREER EMPLOYEES, APPRENTICES AND ALUMNI - Young people should meet employees at different stages of their career journeys, including those early on in their career, apprentices and alumni from their own institution. Encounters can be particularly powerful when they are with someone from a similar background.
PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK - Engaging with employers of different sizes and sectors is crucial to helping young people better understand the realities of the labour market they will be entering. It gives them experience of different recruitment and working practices used by different sectors, such as remote interviews. Building a rich picture of the world of work, and hearing first-hand about the reality of different occupations, helps limit young people’s misconceptions about the future of work

Court Fields School worked with local employers to run a mock interview session for Year 10’s.