Overview
Skills is the number one priority for all businesses in Scotland. It is important that more businesses become better engaged with young people and school staff in a way that benefits all parties.
Enhanced employer and education links will make our young people more work ready and instil in them a can do, will do attitude, whilst re-assuring employers of the fantastic potential of our young people. Businesses and their employees add relevance to the learning experience for young people that plays a major part in creating effective contributors, successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
That is why Ayrshire Chamber has embedded employer engagement into its strategic plans and is assisting schools to deliver the employer engagement element of Curriculum for Excellence. The Chamber also delivers the Work Experience contracts to our three local authorities, the only Chamber in Scotland to be doing so.
Curriculum for Excellence aims to achieve a transformation in education in Scotland by providing a coherent, more flexible and enriched curriculum from 3 to 18. The purpose of the curriculum is encapsulated in the four capacities - to enable each child or young person to be a successful learner, a confident individual, a responsible citizen and an effective contributor.
The curriculum aims to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they will need if they are to flourish in life, learning and work, now and in the future.
Locally, we work with schools to identify their employer engagement needs and source relevant businesses. There are various ways for businesses to engage with schools such as mock interviews, career talks, setting real life challenges or inputting into a specific subject area. It is one thing for young people to learn about the world of work from a book but it is something else to learn directly from their local workforce.
Work Experience Programme
Work Experience is a 1 week placement that enables school students to experience the world of work. It offers students of today the opportunity to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Students at school can become familiar with the skills and attitudes needed by modern businesses and recognise the demands for working life are undergoing rapid and constant change.
What are the benefits for young people?
- Raised awareness of how rights and responsibilities, equal opportunities, health & safety and care of the environment apply in the workplace
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Increased motivation towards course work and to reaching attainment levels in line with their potential
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Opportunities to apply knowledge and skills developed in the classroom, in a real working environment
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Development of important soft skills
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Preparing for working life through direct experience
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Improved understanding of industry and the working environment
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Expanding vocational awareness
Flexible Approach
Times are changing in line with education reform and in some cases it has been proven to be more beneficial to the individual and the employer to participate in a more flexible approach to Work Experience. This allows flexibility of having a placement 1 or 2 days a week or even a few hours a day for a specified time.
To get involved or discuss what approach would suit your needs best then please contact Helen or Suzanne or call 01292 678666 for a chat.
For further info download our Work Experience - Your Guide or to participate download our application form
