Ways to get involved
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PARTNER WITH A SCHOOL OR COLLEGE
Businesses across Scotland are forming meaningful relationships with schools and other education providers. Here at DYW Forth Valley, we are helping local employers to build and develop these partnerships for the mutual benefit of both parties.
One of the great things about connecting with a local school is that every partnership is different. What this means for you as a business is that a partnership can be tailored to suit the needs of both you and the education provider, meaning that your involvement can be big or small. What matters most is that it brings mutual benefit to your business and to the young people who are the workforce of tomorrow.
Benefits of forming a partnership with a local school or college include:
One of the great things about connecting with a local school is that every partnership is different. What this means for you as a business is that a partnership can be tailored to suit the needs of both you and the education provider, meaning that your involvement can be big or small. What matters most is that it brings mutual benefit to your business and to the young people who are the workforce of tomorrow.
Benefits of forming a partnership with a local school or college include:
- The opportunity to promote your industry and show-case the opportunities within it
- A steady flow of Early Careers engagement to create your future talent pipeline
- Directly contributing to young people developing the right skills for the workplace
- The chance to raise business profile and reputation within the community
- Providing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for your staff
- Being part of a wider business network who are directly influencing our young people
Our user-friendly animation helps you to better understand how working in partnership can inspire and develop the future workforce and support positive outcomes for business, education and young people. Watch it on our Home Page.
You can also read the Scottish Government’s Guidance Notes on School/Employer Partnerships and the DYW Employer Engagement Strategic Toolkit.
You can also read the Scottish Government’s Guidance Notes on School/Employer Partnerships and the DYW Employer Engagement Strategic Toolkit.
BECOME A MENTOR
Mentoring a young person is not only a great way to develop a young person’s skills and confidence, it is also a fantastic development opportunity for you and your staff. That's why the DYW Forth Valley team supports mentoring activity for young people.
You may be familiar with the idea of mentoring but are not sure how to go about getting started. Mentoring can be a transformational experience for both the pupil and for you. However, we understand that you need to know whether it aligns with your business needs before you commit.
You may be familiar with the idea of mentoring but are not sure how to go about getting started. Mentoring can be a transformational experience for both the pupil and for you. However, we understand that you need to know whether it aligns with your business needs before you commit.
If you would like to find out more about Mentoring, please contact us.
PROVIDE EMPLOYABILITY ADVICE
We all remember what it was like trying to make career decisions. It isn’t always easy knowing what opportunities are out there and what skills employers are looking for.
Engaging with education is a great way for employers to highlight the opportunities available within their industry and to educate young people about the skills required to be successful in the working world.
There are a range of ways in which you can get involved in providing career advice to local young people, including:
These activities can support your business to raise awareness of your industry, which will not only inspire young people to consider new career options, it will also inform them of what they need to do to get there, which – in terms of talent attraction - is of huge benefit.
Engaging with education is a great way for employers to highlight the opportunities available within their industry and to educate young people about the skills required to be successful in the working world.
There are a range of ways in which you can get involved in providing career advice to local young people, including:
- Delivering a Career Talk within a classroom environment
- Attending a Careers Fayre at a local school or college
- Providing support with employability skills such as conducting mock interviews for pupils
- Delivering masterclasses on topics such as CV writing or interview techniques
- Providing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions to teachers
These activities can support your business to raise awareness of your industry, which will not only inspire young people to consider new career options, it will also inform them of what they need to do to get there, which – in terms of talent attraction - is of huge benefit.
If you would like to get involved in providing Career Advice, please contact us.
Do you already have an opportunity in mind that you would like to offer? Simply click below to register for Marketplace and start connecting with local schools.
Do you already have an opportunity in mind that you would like to offer? Simply click below to register for Marketplace and start connecting with local schools.
HOST A WORKPLACE VISIT
There is no better way to allow others to gain an insight into your industry than to facilitate a school visit to your business. Showing pupils – and teachers – around your organisation is a great way of bringing your industry to life; it gives people an understanding of the working environment and the opportunities available. Employers find that hosting site visits is a great way of promoting their industry to the next generation workforce, and to their direct influencers.
If you would like our support with helping you to set up a workplace visit, please contact us.
Alternatively, if you have an opportunity you would like to share, please Marketplace to make your offer to education.
Alternatively, if you have an opportunity you would like to share, please Marketplace to make your offer to education.
SET A REAL LIFE BUSINESS PROJECT
Getting pupils involved in an innovative business project can help students to understand the business world and to learn practical, work-based skills. Pupil involvement in projects can also add value to any business through the fresh ideas and insight that young people can contribute.
Business projects are a great way of:
If this is an activity you would like to get involved in, please contact us, and we can support you in taking the next steps.
Business projects are a great way of:
- Highlighting the importance of listening and following instructions
- Demonstrating how to work together as part of a team
- Developing pupils’ communication and presentation skills
- Improving organisational and project management skills
If this is an activity you would like to get involved in, please contact us, and we can support you in taking the next steps.
GET INVOLVED IN SCHOOL COMPETITIONS
School competitions are a great way of getting the next generation workforce to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas which can provide real added value to businesses. Several local employers are already blazing a trail when it comes to triggering the competitive spirit in local schools. Thanks to their involvement, young people are developing key skills such as creativity, planning and teamwork which will help them to kickstart their career, whilst employers are benefitting from the future talent pool they have a direct role in shaping and developing.
School competitions have one thing in common – they all started with an idea. A simple idea can lead to a great opportunity, whether it is on a small or large scale, whether it is delivered in one school or in ten schools.
If you want support to implement your idea, please contact us.
School competitions have one thing in common – they all started with an idea. A simple idea can lead to a great opportunity, whether it is on a small or large scale, whether it is delivered in one school or in ten schools.
If you want support to implement your idea, please contact us.
OFFER A WORK PLACEMENT
A work experience placement can be flexible based on the mutual needs of the pupil and business. It could last anywhere from full-time for one week or take a flexible format e.g. one afternoon per week, for a set period of time.
Once you have decided that you can support a work experience placement considering the following will assist you in ensuring a quality and meaningful experience which will be motivating and inspiring for all involved.
Identify the opportunity that you are offering. This means deciding:
Once you have decided that you can support a work experience placement considering the following will assist you in ensuring a quality and meaningful experience which will be motivating and inspiring for all involved.
Identify the opportunity that you are offering. This means deciding:
- Which department the placement will be with
- The job role(s) that the individual will gain an understanding of
- Typical activities they will be involved in
- What knowledge or skills they can expect to develop during the placement
- What skills, experience and personal attributes you expect individuals to bring to the placement
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More information, including guidance on how to make the experience meaningful as well as how to support a young person throughout a work placement is available in the DYW Work Placements Standard document opposite.
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SUPPORT THE APPRENTICESHIP FAMILY
For more information on Apprenticeships click here.