1 Grŵp Llandrillo – Employability Strategy

2 Background Grwp Llandrillo required an Employability Strategy to ensure that Learners build on previous experiences and achieve their potential Learning programmes deliver education and training which improve prospects for employment Learners develop vocational and transferrable skills which are required in today’s fast changing labour markets The above must happen in all programmes

3 Llandrillo Ethos Each programme must embed employability skills Each programme must make explicit how these skills will be assessed Each programme must strive to give as many students as possible work related experiences that add value Each programme must have a strategy for embedding these skills within the curriculum

4 Employability Skills Excellent vocational skills Spoken & written communication Making effective presentations Teamwork Action planning Decision making and problem-solving skills Good appearance Time management Commercial awareness Computing & language skills Determination and assertiveness Lateral thinking Creative job hunting Persuading, influencing and negotiating skills Leadership skills

5 What Will the Strategy Deliver? Employability training at the appropriate level within all curriculum areas Deloitte WorkSkills Embedded in appropriate units on vocational course Welsh Bacc Increased competition activity and success ILP which develops employability skills Increase in partnerships with employers Enrichment for learners Develop industrial skills of staff Share good practice

6 Strategic Aim 1 To develop, promote and embed employability skills as part of the learner experience and culture by ensuring all learners receive employability training at the appropriate level within their curriculum Promote vocational themes related to the curriculum in classrooms and workshops Make explicit the assessment plan for employability skills through an accredited qualification for learners Plan provision that enables learners to gain employability skills through their main qualifications Map employability skills into schemes of learning Promote vocationally related terms in Welsh

7 Strategic Aim 2 To fully utilise individual learning planning to encourage students to review and monitor their learning and development of employability skills Identify specific employability skills for each vocational area Ensure all full time and substantial part time learners produce a careers plan on the ILP Support learners to monitor the development of general and sector specific employability skills through ILP’s

8 Strategic Aim 3 To build and strengthen partnerships between curriculum areas, the Careers Advisory Service, the Sector Skills Councils and employers and enhance levels of employer engagement within curriculum areas and employment focus groups Ensure all full and substantial part time learners work with a Careers Adviser Develop and share good practice of effective employer engagement Develop links with the Sector Skills Councils Encourage employers to share experiences with learners through guest speaking Develop links with employers to undertake mock interviews with learners Encourage a learner representative to attend employer events/networks organised in the college including Business Solution Centre (BSC) events

9 Strategic Aim 4 To provide and promote high quality work related experience, community involvement, competitions and enrichment activities across all disciplines Ensure all learners have the opportunity for a focused work experience which is evaluated and reviewed Centrally promote volunteering opportunities for local community involvement Identify vocationally related competitions and embed in curriculum delivery to improve standards of vocational competence Centrally promote enrichment activities across all disciplines

10 Strategic Aim 5 To support staff in maintaining currency of industrial skills in their sector specific area Develop links with industry Take part in industrial placements in their sector specific areas Encourage staff to attend/participate in employer events/network forums organised by Business Point Log employability based CPD in STEPs Develop networks of professional practice Review practice in appraisal and PMAR

11 Strategic Aim 6 To share good practice across Grŵp Llandrillo and the wider community Identify good practice through Self Assessment Reviews Monitor activity through Curriculum & Academic, Standards Committee and the Strategic Management Group Plan dissemination events within curriculum areas (RED), working in partnership with other centres Develop an alumni of past students and, with permission, produce case studies of successful progression to share with learners

Impact so far An increase in the number of learners entering and achieving success in competitions Curriculum has been reviewed and courses are planning to deliver more employability training in 2011/12 Best practice is being disseminated Construction learners working with Catrefi Conwy & BAM Beauty Therapy learners working with NW Cancer Center and Care Homes Health & Care learners undertake intensive 1 week work skills programme Business & Motor Vehicle learners compete in an internal “Dragons Den” Learners participate and succeed in Enterprise challenge weeks Increase in staff placement activity Revised ILP developed and implemented 12