What good looks like
Every student 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 activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes, and should include students’ own part time employment where it exists.
- Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter* with an employer.
- Every year, alongside their study programme, students in colleges should participate in at least two meaningful encounters with an employer. At least one encounter should be delivered through their curriculum area.
- Colleges should record and take account of students’ own part time employment and the influence this has had on their development.
*A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has the opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.
Why this matters
“Links have been demonstrated between young people’s engagement with the world of work through career talks and their GCSE attainment.” Motivated to achieve: How encounters with the world of work can change attitudes and improve academic achievement – Education and Employers
“a young person who has four or more meaningful encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training and can earn up to 22% more during their career” Motivated to achieve: How encounters with the world of work can change attitudes and improve academic achievement – Education and Employers
Careers Leaders:
Getting started with BM5
- Be clear about priority careers knowledge, understanding and application based on student needs and school priorities. Use this to shape and communicate planned intent for all employer encounters.
- Set clear learning aims and outcomes for all employer encounters by following the Making it Meaningful Checklist.
- Refer to the LLEP Employer Engagement Guide and seek support from your Enterprise Co-ordinator in building long-lasting relationships with local businesses who can support you in the delivery of meaningful employer encounters.
- Use the resource and support featured in the My Learning My Future and My Skills My Future Guides to encourage curriculum staff to use employer encounters which highlight the relevance of subjects and specific learning to engage students and support progress.
Training
All Careers Leaders require Outstanding training
For further support with Benchmark 1 register for our fully funded Careers Leader training
Download our Training Catalogue which includes all the information you need and a helpful comparison guide on the 11 high-quality Training Providers we work with. Here you will be able to choose the right course to suit you and your development, so that you can embed a successful careers programme in your school/college.
Once you have chosen the right course and Training Provider for you, you are all set to register!
Careers in Context: Can Do Approaches
To include an activity under Benchmark 5, it must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Learning outcomes are defined, based on the age and needs of students
- The encounter involves two-way interaction between students and employers/employees
- There is evidence that the student actively participated
Opportunity:
Maximise the value of employer encounters by setting clear learning aims linked to school priorities for all employer encounters
Practical resource and support:
- Consider using this template ‘Proposal’ document to make a case to SLT for time, resource, support for careers guidance
- Connect with providers who can support you in facilitating bespoke employer encounters to respond to the specific needs of your cohorts and region
- Apply the principles of the Making it Meaningful checklist to planning for all employer encounters
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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My Skills My Future
This programme has been collated from resources across our partners and network to support young people with SEND under the 2 groups identified in the SEND toolkit. It contains lessons around employability skill development , employer projects and engagement videos all to support young people in their next steps.
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.
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 Future STEM
A Future STEM is a collection of STEM subject careers activities linked to employability skills.
Employer Education Outreach: Starter pack resources
These resources are designed to be used in conjunction with the guide - Employer education outreach: A starter pack. They’re aimed at employers just starting to work with schools, special schools and colleges. They’ll support you to provide meaningful opportunities that help young people gain a taste of the working world.
In Apprenticeships – Free Online Course
Created in partnership with The Careers & Enterprise Company, #InApprenticeships is a free online course supporting young people currently in apprenticeships. Apprentices can complete this standalone course to build confidence and understanding during their career journey.
Futurum Careers: Online Resource and Magazine
Futurum Careers is a free online resource and magazine aimed at introducing 14-19-year-olds worldwide to the world of work in STEM (science, tech, engineering, maths, medicine) and SHAPE (social sciences, humanities and the arts for people and the economy). We collaborate with academics all over the world and translate their research into education and careers resources that can be used in the classroom, at home and in STEM and SHAPE clubs.
Augment ourselves resource STEM learning
How could we augment ourselves? is a collection of practical STEM subject activities linked to employability skills and careers. Students will consider how amazing the human body is and look at how it could be adapted. The activities explore how science and engineering can be used to augment humans, from using nutrition to improve brain functionality to exploring wing designs to make humans fly.
Careermag for Parents, Carers and Guardians
A great resource for your Parents Evenings and Newsletters! Careermag for Parents, Carers and Guardians is a publication with information for parents of school-aged children offering support and information on careers and qualifications. It also includes information on how to help support young people with mental health issues, managing the UCAS system, apprenticeships and in-depth features on various sectors and opportunities in them.
CareermapTV
CareermapTV is a broadcasting channel that runs across several different social media platforms and it is your ultimate destination for all things careers and education. From recorded live webinars from top employers to comedic, relatable career reels, we’ve got everything you need to inspire your students in their career journey.
Youth Social Action Toolkit
This toolkit is intended to be simple to use, helping Careers Leaders and others support and develop youth social action. the resource aims to enable more of their young people to be active citizens in their school or college and wider communities.
Talentino!
Talentino programmes have been helping to improve career outcomes for young people with a range of learning difficulties in a mixture of settings – special schools, mainstream schools, AP, PRU, SEMH, etc.
They also provide great opportunities for learning more, through their regular newsletters, annual SEND Careers Conference, and by publishing free resources.