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1. Pilot Name and Location
Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA, Work Inspiration Pilot. Held in their headquarters, in Perth, Western Australia.
2. Lead Employers and their Purpose
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) was keen to pilot the Work Inspiration concept and therefore become more informed in promoting the value of Work Inspiration to its members. The Chamber feels that two critical needs of workforce development in WA are more employable school leavers who are also equipped to make decisions that impact on their future careers.
Work Inspiration Case Study: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia
Both needs can be met by engaging students earlier with their future workforce.
Key Contact Person (CCI): Ms Linda Winter Education and Training Officer (CCI, WA) [email protected]
3. Students and Schools Involved
Twelve students from three Catholic and Independent Schools located in the northern suburbs and Ocean Reef Secondary School, participated in the pilot. Students were referred by Career Link (VET cluster of schools) and by the Balga Job Link (trading as BJL Connecting Communities).
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4. Partnership Brokers and Evaluator
The pilot was actually by three Partnership Brokers providers – BJL, CCIWA – SMYL Community Services and Midland Job Link.
The evaluation report was written by Russel Trowbridge (CCIWA – SMYL) – and his contact is [email protected]
A video of the pilot was produced and it is accessible through the tube link http://youtu.be/pCWRGWnISYQ
5. Pilot Summary
A very successful Big Conversation event was held with 15 staff from across CCIWA in early February 2013. A student pre-program workshop occurred on March 1st, and then the two day Work Inspiration pilot was conducted on the 6th and 7th March 2013. The Big Conversation event not only briefed employees about Work Inspiration, but generated ideas on how the pilot could be implemented. The two day pilot program comprised of an induction session, a tour of the headquarters, students finding out about the range of careers in CCIWA – interviews, talks and shadowing, as well as leadership activity and student presentations. On the 13th March, a pilot reflection workshop was held with the students at which they evaluated their experience of Work Inspiration.
6. Key Successes and Success Factors
� 100% of the participating students agreed or strongly agreed that they had learnt how careers happen, had become more aware of work options, were encouraged to think about what they want in a career and had become more motivated to do well at school. Students were pleased, if not surprised to discover that no one has to be stuck on one pathway and you can move from industry to industry.
“You don’t have to stay in the career pathway that you study.”
� More than 90% of the CCIWA employees involved in the pilot agreed or strongly agreed that the experience was worthwhile, and that it added value to their organisation. They felt that Work Inspiration should be an integral part of career development and that the Three Insights helped to shape the career conversations with students. Staff were really pleased to know their own career journeys could be helpful and relevant to young people.
“I did not know that my story would be so interesting and valuable to young people.”
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� Feedback strongly indicates that the Work Inspiration experience impacted positively on workplace morale, and that does contribute to a positive workplace culture and generates an energy shift. As stated by one staff person, “It inspired our workforce to work on something together”.
7. Key Learnings
For next time: local application
� Highly value the Big Conversation event, do not underestimate the value of both tours around a site, and the impact of student career conversations with workers (as compared to teachers or parents), but arrange for less talking to students, and more hands-on tasks and quality dialogue with individual staff. Students really enjoyed asking questions of employees who were open, friendly and had a sense of humour.
For next time: local and national application
� Link the Work Inspiration program to school career development programs, and more fully prepare students to pose questions.
� The evaluator makes the point that any host company should be encouraged to work closely with school workplace coordinators to not only develop the program, but also plan for activity that sustains the impact of Work Inspiration upon young people.
The long term future of Work Inspiration: national
� CCIWA is committed to promoting Work Inspiration to its members. They believe that the successful take-up by companies will be greatly assisted by a business model that supports the facilitation of broader interactions between schools and employers. The message is that Work Inspiration is not a traditional work experience program, but an innovative framework for employers to customise, and with which to be creative. However, it must be taken into account that young people still value traditional work experience and its hands-on and ‘work with an adult’ character.
8. Special Feature
An unexpected but pleasing benefit of the Work Inspiration experience at CCIWA, was the value of the conversations and interactions between staff and students to the morale and culture of the workplace. Work Inspiration seems to have:
� Inspired staff from across functions to work together
� Validated the career journeys of individual staff.
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9. Recommendations to National Partners
� Develop a business model that supports the role of an independent facilitator of collaboration between the schools and Work Inspiration lead employer so it can be expanded in WA.
� Highlight the value of Work Inspiration in boosting workplace morale and culture, when pitching Work Inspiration to host companies.
� Promote strongly the value of the Big Conversation event – engage a teacher and ex-participants in the event.
� Help employers to develop creative hands-on tasks and more informal career conversations with employees, for the students.
10. Reflecting Upon the Evaluation
This was a pilot that generated key learnings. It had a most thorough evaluation which articulated and shared those learnings. It provided some helpful thoughts on not only how to promote Work Inspiration to lead employers, but also grow a Work Inspiration partnership culture between education and those employers.
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