Encounters with employers and employees
Every learner should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment opportunities, including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes, and could include learners’ own part-time employment where it exists.
What good looks like
Schools
- Every year, from the age of 11, learners should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer.
Further Education
- Every year, alongside their programme of study, learners should participate in at least two meaningful encounters with an employer. At least one encounter should be delivered through their curriculum area.
Gatsby have provided a definition of what constitutes a ‘meaningful encounter’ with employers and employees:
A meaningful encounter gives the learner the opportunity to learn about what work is like, what skills are valued in the workplace, their recruitment processes and what it takes to be successful.
A meaningful encounter will:
- have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the learner.
- be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the learner.
- have opportunities for two-way interactions between the learner and the employer.
- be followed by time for the learner to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through the encounter.
Schools, colleges and ITPs can take into account any part-time work a learner may have, if it genuinely offers them a meaningful experience.
The resources below are designed to support you with Gatsby Benchmark 5. To explore all of the Gatsby Benchmarks in greater depth, download the toolkit that best aligns with your setting.
Provide multiple opportunities for meaningful employer encounters. Organise at least one meaningful encounter with an employer every year within a progressive careers programme. This could include employer-led workshops, mentoring, mock interviews, enterprise schemes, etc. These resources help Careers Leaders to plan, implement and impact evaluate a progressive and embedded approach to Benchmarks 5 and 6.
Encounters with employers, employees and the self-employed (…)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. Use the checklist in this resource when planning all employer encounters.
Find and contact delivery organisations to support employer encounters via the CEC’s Provider Directory. Keep a centralised record of all the employers that deliver careers activities to your learners by utilising the Careers Partners section in Compass+. Enter contact details for employers safely and securely, then use the intuitive filter functionality to support targeted and meaningful employer engagement.
Education Leaders and Governors:
Education Leaders and Governors: For further information on each Benchmark, to support you in your role, please see the Education Leader, Secondary and College Governor Guides
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A - Z of jobs activity SEND
Developed by the Inspiring Worcestershire Careers Hub team, this activity will enable SEND students to begin to learn how to research information regarding different job roles of interest to them.
A Focus on the Future – Raising Awareness of Visual Impairment in Business
Leicestershire Cares Education team’s info pack about their employability project with visually impaired young people. This pack includes a guide for businesses signposting helpful info and resources on employing people with a visual impairment.
A Future STEM
A Future STEM is a collection of STEM subject careers activities linked to employability skills.
Accenture Digital Skills
This resource has been developed by Accenture (national) and is offered on a free learning basis.
A collaborative, peer to peer learning tool building the digital skills needed to stand out in today’s workplace:
- Bite-sized, animated videos presented by digital experts
- 110+ animated bitesize videos with content covering 7 digital courses presented by Accenture digital experts
- Innovative use of social media tools to facilitate peer to peer learning
- CPD accredited certificate received for completing the modules.
Activity linked to TV SEND
Developed by the Inspiring Worcestershire Careers Hub team this resource has been specifically designed to be used as a discussion activity with SEND students around a TV programme linked to the world of work.
AET and Tesco: Careers in English resources
These resources have been created by curriculum subject experts from Academies Enterprise Trust through collaboration with Tesco, to engage and support students in learning by placing teaching points in the context of the world of work.
Amazon Future Engineer UK - Virtual School Trips
Kahoot! Robotics Fulfilment Centre Career Tour
From our online store to your doorstep, discover how computer science, state-of-the-art engineering, and incredible people deliver customer orders at Amazon.
Ambitious about Autism Toolkits
This resource contains a collection of toolkits to help more autistic young people access sustainable and meaningful employment opportunities.
An Employers Guide to Supported Employment
Developed by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI). This resource is focused on employing people with a mental health condition, a learning disability and/or autistic people.
AutonoMe Supported Employment and Independent Living
AutonoMe uses the power of personalised human support combined with technology to enable neurodiverse people and those with learning disabilities to gain employment and develop skills for independent living.
This is a costed resource with possible funding streams identified.
Beauty, Hairdressing and Barbering Career Resources
Developed by VTCT (Vocational Training Charitable Trust), these resources will inform those considering a career in Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing or Barbering industries and their parents/guardians of the options available to them and the opportunities for their future career.
Black Country Careers Hub SEND resources
The Black Country Careers Hub have developed a number of resources to support those working with young people with SEND in the different settings. Many of these resources are featured in the My Skills My Future programme.