Speakers for Schools’ Post

Employability Day: Employment Support for Every Citizen As we reflect on this year’s Employability Day, we are also reflecting on the powerful insights from the Youth Futures Foundation's 2024 report. The data is both eye-opening and a call to action: 1 in 8 young people in the UK are currently NEET, and poor mental health is a significant barrier to their employment prospects. At EmployabilityUK, our commitment extends beyond those who are visibly struggling to include every young person who could benefit from enhanced employability skills and support. We’re driven by the belief that every individual deserves the chance to develop vital soft skills and access meaningful opportunities. This report highlights critical areas for improvement, including better access to apprenticeships and enhanced mental health support. We are dedicated to addressing these challenges through our tailored programmes and strategic partnerships. Learn more about how we can collaborate to make a difference: www.employabilityuk.org #EmployabilityDay #YouthEmployment #SkillsDevelopment #MentalHealth #Apprenticeships #givingback #employmentsupport #volunteering Diane Vernon MBE FIEP Suman Manghra ✨Manifestation Maven✨Prajakta Kale, MBANigel VernonNik KendallHarun RabbaniRituparna D.Omkar Shanbhag Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) https://bit.ly/47taQps

1 in 8 16-18 year olds are classed as NEET. This figure is massively exacerbated when we include SEND and those that are not in education or employment up to the age of 25 Targeted interventions, such as those It's Education offer with early intervention programs that lead into inclusive apprenticeships really do make a difference. I’d be very keen to hear from businesses who want to increase their talent pool, make significant social difference and be part of a solution to a growing problem #inclusivity #SEND #SocialValue https://lnkd.in/ekmarw8t

What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Never Too Young To Embed Employability Into The Education Curriculum All of us will no doubt remember being asked ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’. This question was asked by a range of adults to poor unsuspecting children, throughout their childhood. Most of us had a dream of what being ‘grown up’ would look like, from becoming a doctor or a teacher, fisherman, to working in a shop selling ice creams, maybe becoming a dancer or even an astronaut. We had wild imaginations and high expectations of moving into a career, when we left schools, that we would really enjoy. After all, we need to enjoy any role we move into, most of us can now expect to work for 50 years before we can look to draw a state pension. It’s okay not to know what you want to be when you grow up, you need just to know how to explore career pathways, understand what employers are looking for and seek appropriate support when you’re ready to take the next step. https://lnkd.in/e3f-fw89 #CareerAdvice #CareerGuidance #EmployabilitySkills #Employability #TheEducationPeople #SEND #Education #IEP #IEPNews

Totally agree with comments in Oli de Botton’s guest blog.! 1️⃣ Starting early: Evidence from a primary school pilot in disadvantaged areas suggests that when children meet employers and their teachers connect lessons to good local jobs, they look to the future with more optimism. 2️⃣ Modernising work ex: High quality work experience helps young people get ready for work, by exposing them and teaching them skills employers are looking for 3️⃣ Helping with transition points: It’s at points of transition where young people can fall out of the system. The nine terms between the start of Year 10 and the end of Year 12 need special support The Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland’s flagship Beacon Schools and Colleges programme works with students 17-19 years olds by providing meaningful work interventions during the course of the school academic year that culminates in a week work experience for students. This year 130 students from 5 schools across the UK took part in the programme. In early July, 37 of them had the opportunity of having a quality work experience thereby proving insights into the world of work. To date we have had 2 people obtain permanent/appeenticeship opportunities within Sunbelt. It’s all part of our purpose to transform places, spaces and lives by equipping people with tools so that they can make informed decisions on their career/further/higher education destinations. Sarah MacGregor Genna Booth Jimmy Scott Jackie Cuthbert Mark Keily Amanda Birch Simon Wareham

Dive into Speakers for Schools' latest blog 📚💼 where I reflect on what students, educators, careers practitioners, employers and politicians said about helping young people carve a future-ready roadmap 🛣️ to the world of work! 👇🏿 👇🏿 👇🏿

These figures are absolutely shocking. The numbers of young people not in education, employment or training is up by a THIRD in three years. Mental health is playing a very significant role according to the survey with a third saying it 'affects their ability to either find work, or to function in a professional environment'. The number of young people doing apprenticeships has fallen sharply in recent years. There's an impact here on all the clients I have across everything I do - #GenZ most obviously but also coaching clients in #education and #localgovernment plus ANY SINGLE EMPLOYER ANYWHERE. I have said it before and I will say it again now. England does not provide a good enough experience for young people. 👉 Employers say they don't have the skills they are looking for. 👉 Not enough work experience is happening at school. 👉 The pressure of England's current examination system is a good part of the problem. 👉 Getting help with mental health is far too hard in far too many places. The young professionals I talk to are sick of hearing those from older generations telling them that 'they are the future' or 'it's all about them' when the evidence is palpably the other way. We could do ourselves a huge favour economically by focusing on a significant reduction in the numbers who develop a mental health condition in the first place. #generationz deserves better.

🚀📚The latest findings from the Commission on Post-16 Education and Training, led by Youth Employment UK, are in, and the message is clear: young people are navigating a maze without a map. The lack of adequate careers education and meaningful work experience leads to poor post-16 choices, increasing dropout rates, and narrowing employment opportunities for young people. 📈 NEET figures for 16-18-year-olds climbed to 8.4% in 2022, an increase from the previous year. With youth unemployment outpacing the broader population. 🌍💼 Employer engagement tailored to individual aspirations and career ambitions can boost skills valued by employers, like communication and problem-solving, and help young people understand why Maths and English are essential to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work. Read here 🔽 #socialmobility #youngpeople #careereducation

We are proud to be a Next Generation Inclusive University partner of EmployAbility Ltd. This partnership enhances our drive to support Durham University students with mental health conditions, neurodivergent conditions and other disabilities, to be successful in their chosen careers. EmployAbility is a non-profit organisation working to disrupt the status quo and reduce bias in recruitment processes and working environments, which prevent disabled individuals obtaining and thriving in employment. Founded in 2006 by Tab Ahmad OBE after she noticed that there was limited support available to help disabled university students transition to employment, EmployAbility is dedicated to supporting disabled individuals, helping them to achieve their full career potential. Durham’s partnership with EmployAbility gives our students and those who have graduated within the last three years, access to a range of support, including: Internships, Graduate Programmes and Events. Apply to first year, internship and graduate programmes, in addition to vacation schemes and training contact opportunities, with some of EmployAbility’s Next Generation Inclusive Employer partners. These include Google, J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, the Financial Conduct Authority, the British Heart Foundation and many others. EmployAbility provides advice at each step of the application process as well as offering insight days and skills workshops enabling you to maximise your chances of success. Scholarships for disabled students. EmployAbility partners with Google, which offers €7,000 per individual selected, and with Bending Spoons, which offers recipients €10,000. In both cases the scholarships are aimed at computer science students in geographical Europe. Confidential one-to-one advice and advocacy service. EmployAbility provides individual advice and guidance, based on how your disability or condition impacts you, and the adjustments you will need as a result to successfully navigate the recruitment process. It will also ask potential employers for those adjustments on your behalf, so that you don’t have to, without discussing the nature of your disability. It will also provide you with other support and advice you may need. To find out more and to register with EmployAbility, go to www.employ-ability.org.uk. Once you have registered, you should contact info@employ-ability.org.uk to inform them that you’ve done so and request individual support. 

🥳 As part of my #PhD journey on #studentmothers #careerdevelopment🎓  Excited to share my first authored article: “Student Parents and Carers Need Graduate Employability Support: Recommendations for Employability Practitioners” Universities and their employability staff must tackle the inequities that make diversity seem like a disadvantage in securing work-integrated learning and graduate employment. With more equity groups enrolling, it’s crucial to ensure everyone has access to employability opportunities. Student parents and carers, a growing yet often overlooked group, need support. In my provocation, I explore the current landscape and offer recommendations. 👏 Thanks to Deakin University's Journal of Teaching & Learning for Graduate Employability for the opportunity to share my work. #JTLGE and it's team, special issue editor members that include Lauren Hansen Bonnie Amelia Dean Michael Healy. I appreciate the opportunity to join a list of other authors in this special edition – including , Cristy Bartlett PhD Adrian Buck Elizabeth J. Cook (PhD) Jennifer Luke Michael O'Connor and many more. Pdf https://lnkd.in/gTTHzqbh LINK to special issue>> https://lnkd.in/gFxEnDgE #HigherEducation #Employability #Diversity #Inclusion #StudentParents #CareerDevelopment #WorkIntegratedLearning

Youth Employment UK's Youth Ambassadors have been sharing their thoughts and experiences on transition points for young people. Our Youth Ambassador’s experiences highlight how: ➡ Young people require an empathetic approach that recognises how key transition points may pose difficulties ➡ 1:1 support such as mentoring schemes or buddy systems can be an effective tool both in education and in employment ➡ Using relatable models can help young people feel more comfortable at times of transition At Youth Employment UK we have resources that support young people, educators and employers to navigate transition points: ➡ Our Young Professional Training helps young people feel more confident about where they want to be, and can be utilised by educators and organisations who support young people to help them navigate their next steps. ➡ Our Employer Membership offers employers expert support and guidance on youth employment practices, including information about providing a mentor for young people, setting up a buddy system, and planning a thorough induction for young people. To read the full article, visit here - https://lnkd.in/eQHP2kYJ