DYW: Employers workbook 1.

Workbook for employers

Developing your workforce of the future.

How will you be involved?

Welcome and benefits to your business .................. 3

Our process .............................................................. 4

Defining your goals .................................................. 5

Ways your business can get involved ....................... 6

Work awareness & inspiration ................................. 7

Work practice ........................................................... 9

Real job opportunities & apprenticeships ...............11

Employer and school partnerships ......................... 13

Summary and next steps .........................................16

Your key contacts ..................................................... 17

Contents

DYW: Employer’s Workbook 3.

At DYW North East we help employers to engage, inspire and shape our region’s future workforce. The aim of this workbook is to define your business’s goals and help you select the method of engagement most suited to you and most suited to your business’s objectives.

1. 4.2.3.

5.6.

How can your business benefit?

Increase your business profile in the community

Development of your managers and supervisors

Pipeline of candidates for the future

High return on investment with a reduced recruitment cost base

Help schools’ knowledge of current jobs and career opportunities in your company and industry

Bring in new ideas from young people

Welcome

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

DYW: Employers workbook 4.

What is our process?

1. Defining

your goalsWe get to understand your

business’s objectives, whether it’s through one of our workshops or

a simple phone call.

2. Match

We match you with the right school.

3. Discovery

sessionWe facilitate a meeting with

the school to discuss and agree joint activities.

4. Activity & FeedbackYour business undertakes the

agreed activities and DYW supports you in evaluating and

ensuring a good fit.

5. Certificate of partnership

DYW issues your business with a certificate in recognition of your commitment to Developing the

Young Workforce.

4. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 5.

It’s important to consider what your business wants to achieve or ‘get back’ from working with schools and young people. The goals defined on this page will help shape our recommendations and will be a focus throughout this exercise.

Let’s get started!

What is your business looking to achieve from working with schools & young people?

Help create a pipeline of candidates for future recruitment

CPD for your managers and supervisors

Bring new ideas into the business from young people

Raise your business profile

Positive CSR contribution

Help schools’ knowledge of your company and industry

Tick the boxes below that are relevant and then rank them in order of importance...

RANKTICK

Other goals?

5. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

The next part of the workbook shows you the different ways in which you can engage with schools. You will be asked a series of questions to help us establish which areas are most suited to your business’s requirements.

Ways your business can get involved

Work awareness & inspiration

Work practice

Real job opportunities & apprenticeships

Promoting career pathways and getting young people enthused about their

future in the workplace.

Page 7

Providing young people with opportunities to experience the

world of work.

Page 9

Giving young people access to paid employment and training

opportunities.

Page 11

6. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 7.

What careers are available within your business?

Do you have a documented career pathways map?

Can these employees be used as role models or be promoted as case studies?

As many young people don’t know exactly what they want to do when they start work, providing them with information on what types of careers are available in your organisation can help young people make career decisions and attract people to your business and industry.

Can your staff guide and help a young person in their development? Mentoring is a good opportunity for you to develop your employees’ skills. As a business you can choose the time commitment that suits you and your employees.

There are many programmes and initiatives that need business mentors. Contact us to find out which ones your business can support.

YES NO

YOUR INDUSTRY

YOUR COMPANY

Do you have good examples of different employee career paths within your business?

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability:

What can you do to provide information about working in your company and your industry (tick all the boxes that apply)?

Attend careers fairs

Give careers talks at school

Share company documentation

Set competitions

Provide information provision during mentoring or work experience

Provide provision of CPD for Guidance Teachers/Careers Advisors

Facilitate school visits to your business

7.

Work awareness& inspiration

DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 8.

Is your business suited to providing work awareness & inspiration?Answer the following questions to the best of your ability:

Do you have a current formal mentoring programme?

Is there an opportunity for your staff to become involved in mentoring for their development?

Talking to schools and young people about your business improves awareness of your company and your line of work including career tips, working life and skills required – which help to plant the seed of inspiration.

There are many forms in which you can engage with schools and young people including:

• Mentoring• Talks / Presentations• Field trips

At DYW North East we can help by providing advice and organising these activities.

Work awareness& inspiration

YES NO

Write down the names of staff members that would be available to mentor and how many hours per month they could offer...

8. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 9.

What do you currently offer?

Do you currently offer work experience placements?

How many schools do you work with?

YES NO

If your answer is no to the first question please go to the next page. If yes, please continue:

Young people need more opportunities to gain experience before entering the world of work. You can help by providing work experience placements.

Work practice

What is the format?

How many placements do you offer per school year and is this the number you want to be offering?

9. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 10.

What could you offer?The following questions will help you to determine if you can offer a work placement:

In which department can you offer experience?

How much time can that department offer?

Can you identify tasks or projects a young person can assist with? Can they perform a real work task or alternatively mimic one?

For extended or bespoke placements, what interests or skills would young people need to have to work with you?

The length of time and method of work practice can vary. Different options are available to suit varying business needs and the needs of the young person. These options could be:

• A week-long full time placement in S3 or S4

• Incorporating work placements into the school timetable for senior phase (S4-S6) pupils

• An extended placement for an agreed period e.g. eight weeks

• A ‘bespoke’ arrangement agreed between the business and pupil to suit all needs

Whatever the size or type of your business or organisation, you can choose the option that suits you best.

Work practice

Can you allocate a supervisor? YES NO

10. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 11.

What do you currently offer?

Do you currently offer apprenticeships?

Do you get quality applicants for roles you advertise?

How many schools do you work with?

YES

YES

NO

NO

If your answer is no to the first question please go to the next page:

For many young people, going straight into work after leaving school is the right choice. Can you identify early career roles (entry level roles, apprenticeship) within your business?

Real job opportunities and apprenticeships

How do you recruit apprentices?

How many roles do you offer per school year and is this the number you want to offer?

11. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 12.

What could you offer?The following questions will help you to determine if you can offer an apprenticeship:

Do you carry out formal workforce planning?

Can you identify a role that can be carried out by an apprentice?

More than 50% of school leavers don’t go to university and only 29% of employers recruit directly from education. Can you offer more options and opportunities for the young people of our region?

Real job opportunities and apprenticeships

Can you allocate a supervisor? YES NO

Please tick where we can support with further information:

Advertising & recruitment

Apprenticeship types (subject)

Duration/work & study schedule

Funding

Training partner

12. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 13.

Let’s look at your experience so far...If you don’t currently have a partnership with a school please go to the next page

If you currently have a partnership with a school, take some time to reflect on what is working well and what you gain and give in the relationship.

Employer & school partnerships

List what you gain from your existing school relationship(s):

What do you think your school partners gain from the existing relationship(s)?

Please list any particular challenges there are in working with your existing school partner(s).

13. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 14.

Give schools the opportunity to talk to /work with employees in groups/classes either during timetabled slots at school or in the workplace

Participate in school working groups

Attend significant school events

Contribute to significant school events

Get involved in decision-making around aspects of school life

Involvement on Parent Council as co-opted members

Opportunities to talk at parents’ events

Opportunities to promote jobs within the school

Get pupils’ opinions/utilise their skills, in relation to your company’s work

Work experience

Apprenticeships

Planning meetings with business partners

Workshop activities for pupils – e.g. CVs, job and interview skills

Opportunities for school staff and employer engagement

Curricular slots for employer involvement

Help third party initiatives e.g. Career Ready, Young Enterprise Grampian

Other (please specify):

Aspects of partnership workingWhat are you prepared to “give” to schools wishing to work with your business?

The benefits to young people with your engagement will be significant. However, there are clear business benefits too, including:

• Brand exposure as we celebrate your partnership in our communications and in the media

• Access to a pipeline of candidates for future recruitment

• Continuous professional development for your staff

• Engagement with young people which will enrich your business and bring new ideas

Do you think this type of initiative would be of interest to your business? If so, complete this section.

Employer & school partnerships

YES NO

14. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 15.

Formalising your relationships with a school(s)

A contract template for a school/employer partnership agreement

Setting up a partnership board

Have not sought to form any school links this far

Difficulty in identifying appropriate/suitable schools

Reluctance from schools approached to engage with business

Issues related to school or business location

Uncertainty about how to make initial contact with the school

Uncertainty about how to develop school links after initial contact has been made

Other (please specify)

Setting up a formal partnership

No existing school links

Would you like any of the following help with your existing school partners?

If you have no established school links, please indicate the reason(s) why you are in this situation:

We would like to help develop existing relationships and create new ones. Tell us where we can help you.

Employer & school partnerships

YES

YES

NO

NO

15. DYW: Employer’s Workbook

DYW: Employers workbook 16.

Next steps...Consider your responses to the various questions in the toolkit and note below any actions you now feel you need to take and what support you would like from DYW.

On completing this workbook, you will have considered your needs and goals as an employer. You should have the information you need to plan the activity you can engage in.

Please note that pathways to real employment opportunities underpin all the work undertaken, but will also include the steps you take to make young people and schools aware of opportunities – jobs, apprenticeships, traineeships – in the local job market.

Summary

Actions required (please prioritise them)

16.

Support required:

1.

3.

5.

2.

4.

6.

DYW: Employer’s Workbook

RANKSUPPORT

DYW: Employers workbook 17.

In taking forward school engagement in your business, we will help you engage with relevant stakeholders and partners and match you with a school or schools. We will also plan and facilitate your first meeting with a school and provide support throughout the time you work together.

Your key contacts

Rachel Elliott DYW Manager

T: 01224 343939E: rachel@dwy.org.uk

Martin Johnston Schools & Business Co-ordinator

T: 01224 343923E: martin@dyw.org.uk