Understanding the Labour Market Today TUTOR’S NAME HERE

Understanding the Labour Market Today  Unit1: The Changing World Of Work  Unit 2: The Skills Employers Need  Unit 3: The Concept of Career Pathways Learning Objectives

U.1 The Changing World Of Work

Labour Market Trends - Demand/Supply mismatches o Changes in the pattern of demand o Demand can surge then weaken o Usually a lag between supply meeting demand o Phenomenon of over-qualified manual workers (often graduates) and the growing socio-economic exclusion of the unskilled and under-educated o Many employers undervalue their people assets U.1 The Changing World Of Work

Labour Market Trends – technological change o Disruptive technologies: media (citizen journalism); printing; retail; advertising o Ubiquity of free information has seriously devalued much of what used to be valuable intellectual property o In many economies in EU new or evolved sectors have emerged U.1 The Changing World Of Work

Labour Market Trends – international mobility o In EU free movement of labour has led to large shifts of populations of young, fit often very well educated workers from low-wage regions to high-wage regions – this has changed the expectations of employers in some sectors; has led to skills shortages in new ‘supplier’ regions and over-supply in new ‘host’ regions o Ease of movement (air travel) and communication (internet; mobile telecomms) has changed how business is transacted o Competition for jobs in some sectors in some labour markets has now increased U.1 The Changing World Of Work

New career structures: o Pluri-activity – holding down more than one job at a time and expectation of having many jobs over time o Emergence of unpaid internships and zero-hour contracts o Career advice in schools is an issue - Schools can be too grades obsessed and not up-to-date with respect to labour market trends and what employers need o Rigidity of the educational system in responding to changes in the world of work o Cultural message that everybody can be what they want to be o Too little early constructive challenge with children/young people with respect to what they might do in the future U.1 The Changing World Of Work (cont)

U. 2 The Skills Employers Need

o Importance of STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) - greatest demand, highest wages o Employers are often very precise as to what they think they want o But sometimes employers are too rigid – can expect too much too quickly U. 2 The Skills Employers Need

o Interpersonal ‘people’ skills o Confidence (but not too casual) o A commercial understanding : for example, that deadlines are deadlines with financial implications if they are not met o An understanding of professional etiquette o Good written and spoken language o Numerate o Evidence of good judgement, of common-sense, of capability to take the initiative, of ability to think independently o Evidence of ability to work with others and take instruction U. 2 The Skills Employers Need The ‘ideal’ candidate?

o Graduates can often sell themselves poorly by not seeming to understand the employer o At interview:  They need to demonstrate that they understand what the employer is looking for  They need to show evidence that they have done research on the employer and the job  They need to show that they have those competences U. 2 The Skills Employers Need

Exercise: Identify and rate skills that employers require for different jobs (10 minutes)  Marketing executive  Policy researcher  Administrator  ETC U. 2 The Skills Employers Need

Exercise: Write a Job Description from the perspective of an employer (20 minutes) U. 2 The Skills Employers Need

U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways

o Too often pupils/students make subject choices without clear rationale o This can carry through into decision making with respect to employment and wider life o For humanities graduates to develop successful careers in the current labour market they will have to be INNOVATIVE U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways

The responsibility to map your journey lies in YOUR hands

Things to think about…..

There are jobs! There are careers!

It is important to demonstrate that you are sociable and work well with people. Outside activities (sports; hobbies; volunteering) are important!

Working life is like a journey – it needs planning…

Are you going in the right direction?

The 'innovator mindset‘ o Reflect – understand your own make-up o Positive Attitude – see failure as a form of helpful feedback; be prepared for some who will be negative for the sake of it o Flexibility – be prepared to change route to destination or change the destination o Resilience o Scanning o Analysing o Deciding o Acting U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways

The 'innovator mindset‘ o See value in doing (rather than doing nothing) – life skills: sports, volunteering, part-time work, caring – from all of these experiences value can be mined o Research o Listen o Value third party advice – collaborate where possible o Its YOUR responsibility o Time is a precious, finite resource – don’t waste it & have a sense of the value which you would like to place on your time U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways

Exercise: ‘Mapping Me’ U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways

Exercise: Compare the career path you thought you would have been on at 12, 18 and now (20 minutes) U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways

CASE STUDY: Research different careers (what do they involve? How did employees get to where they are now?) U. 3 The Concept of Career Pathways