1. School and employer activities – What works best, when and for whom?
Richard Scothorne
Rocket Science
Introductions

2. What works best, when and for whom?
Literature review of research on the impact and benefits of school/employer partnerships (esp from Education and Employers – Anthony Mann)
Scottish Government, DWY Glasgow and DYW Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian now funding the creation of a toolkit for schools based on the main findings
Outline of workshop:
Main findings, Q+A
How can we use this? Anything else that would help?
Discussion

3. Context – how employer engagement activities can help
Let’s unpack this paradox – and think about what employer engagement can do to meet the challenges young people face when transitioning into work.
Challenge 1: Labour market developments:
The labour market has become more competitive and occupational profiles more complex – as a result, the decisions young people have to make about their educational and professional pathways are more complicated  employer engagement can provide young people with a batter idea of jobs roles
The labour markets today are increasingly competitive, partially resulting from the trend of older worker to delay retirement
- people are regularly overqualified for the job, leading to the “no experience, no job cycle”
- increased competition exacerbated by recruitment bias against school leavers – only 1 in 10 businesses directly recruit year olds (CIPD, 2012)
 employer engagement can equip students with the transition skills and resilience to compete in the labour market
- The labour market is fast-changing which has led to a shift from an emphasis on technical skills to the ability to apply new knowledge successfully  employer engagement can emphasise the importance of applied learning, eg enterprise education
Challenge 2: Young people’s aspirations have little in common with labour market demand:
First: A recent “Drawing the Future” survey study asked 11,786 children in the UK aged 7 to 11 to draw what they wanted to do when they were older, and also asked them to state how they had heard about this job. The results showed that career aspirations are influenced by social background (children from more affluent schools have aspirations towards higher paid professions) and gender (“sportsman” and “gaming” aspired by boys and “teacher” by girls) (Chambers et al, 2018)
The most recent study in this area found that, while young people’s career aspirations change between the ages 13 and 18, their career aspirations are not correlated with labour market demand – the career aspirations have, as the study’s authors put it, “nothing in common” with the projected demand for labour in the UK between 2010 and For example, while 21% of young people aged would like to work in the field of Culture, Media and Sports, there will only be 2.4% of new jobs in these sectors (Mann et al, 2013)
 Employer engagement can provide pupils & teachers with clearer ideas of labour market development and sectors of growth and widen and equalise young people’s understanding of particular career paths
Challenge 3: Students lack the job searching, CV-writing and interviewing skills that are required to make a successful transition from education to work- A YouGov survey found that “most young people educated in the state sector think that their schools prepared them poorly for adult working life”. Focus groups with recruiters believe young people to be falling short of these skills, and a 2012 survey found that more than half (54%) of 780 human resource professionals felt that young people find it difficult to identify and explain their job-specific skills during job interviews. (Mann et al, 2017)
 Employer engagement can equip young students with the transitioning skills (through mentoring, advice and guidance or mock interviews) that are required to successfully transition form education to work

4. Different roles of employer engagement activities
See table on slide.

5. Impact on pupils – why it works, and what works for whom
Why does employer engagement affect educational and economic outcomes?
Increased confidence and positive attitude towards schooling
Who benefits from what?
Some pupils benefit most from sustained engagement with employers (work experience or mentoring)
Some pupils benefit from more targeted interventions (careers fairs or mock interviews)
WHY EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES:
A 2015 study (Mann et al, 2014) explored the reasons that 190 young British adults provided as to why they found engaging with employers during their time in schools as beneficial. Following recent attempts to explaining the educational and economic outcomes of employer engagements activities in terms of “capital” gains, their answers were placed in three impact categories:
Cultural capital: The attitude and confidence with which young people navigate their career
Social capital: The “trustworthy reciprocal social relations” and wider networks young people are able to build up through employer engagement activities will ultimately help them “gain information, observe, ape and then confirm decisions and actions with significant others and peers”
Human capital: The knowledge and skills young people have acquired, ie their employability skills.
While employer engagement has traditionally been understood as enhancing young people’s human capital (employability skills), the most common cited impact by students was cultural capital: the confidence and motivating with which students navigated their educational experience and job search.
WHO BENEFITS FROM WHAT
Teachers believe different employer engagement activities to be effective for learners at different stages. In particular, teachers believe that “low achievers” benefit most from sustained engagement with employers – work experience or mentoring – whereas “high achievers” benefit from less substantial but more targeted interventions such as careers fairs or mock interviews.
73% of teachers believe work experience to be impactful for low achievers, followed by learning resources (62%) and mentoring (57%). For high achievers, however, the three most widely consider impactful activities are career fairs (76%), mock interviews (75%) and long-form enterprise (73%). (Mann et al, 2016)
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FULFIL DIFFERENT ROLES ACROSS PUPILS EDUCATIONAL JOURNES
In a previous review of work experience and employer engagement activities in Midlothian Council, Rocket Science suggested that different employer engagement activities can play four different “roles” in a young person’s educational journey and transition to work (Midlothian Council et al, 2016):
Understanding jobs – clarifying future options from P1-S6: These activities give students insights into different sectors and job roles, some of which they may start to consider or reject on the basis of their aptitudes and aspirations
Relevance of learning to the world of work from S1-S6: These activities give students an understanding of how their school subjects and curriculum content are relevant and can be applied to the world of work
Preparing for work (including building skills and confidence) from S2-S6: These activities give students insights into the everyday routines of different jobs and helps them develop soft skills such as communication and team-building skills
Gaining a job or entry for further/higher education from S3-S6: These activities help pupils to transition from education to work or further or higher education.
Rocket Science, 2016, Midlothian Council for Midlothian Development the Young Workforce Group – Review of Work Experience

6. Impact on pupils – when it works
When do the different roles of employer engagement activities make an impact?
Understanding jobs - clarifying futures options from P1-S6
Relevance of learning to the world of work from S1-S6
Preparing for work (including building skills and confidence) from S2-S6
Gaining a job or entry for further/higher education from S3-S6
WHY EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES:
A 2015 study (Mann et al, 2014) explored the reasons that 190 young British adults provided as to why they found engaging with employers during their time in schools as beneficial. Following recent attempts to explaining the educational and economic outcomes of employer engagements activities in terms of “capital” gains, their answers were placed in three impact categories:
Cultural capital: The attitude and confidence with which young people navigate their career
Social capital: The “trustworthy reciprocal social relations” and wider networks young people are able to build up through employer engagement activities will ultimately help them “gain information, observe, ape and then confirm decisions and actions with significant others and peers”
Human capital: The knowledge and skills young people have acquired, ie their employability skills.
While employer engagement has traditionally been understood as enhancing young people’s human capital (employability skills), the most common cited impact by students was cultural capital: the confidence and motivating with which students navigated their educational experience and job search.
WHO BENEFITS FROM WHAT
Teachers believe different employer engagement activities to be effective for learners at different stages. In particular, teachers believe that “low achievers” benefit most from sustained engagement with employers – work experience or mentoring – whereas “high achievers” benefit from less substantial but more targeted interventions such as careers fairs or mock interviews.
73% of teachers believe work experience to be impactful for low achievers, followed by learning resources (62%) and mentoring (57%). For high achievers, however, the three most widely consider impactful activities are career fairs (76%), mock interviews (75%) and long-form enterprise (73%). (Mann et al, 2016)
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FULFIL DIFFERENT ROLES ACROSS PUPILS EDUCATIONAL JOURNES
In a previous review of work experience and employer engagement activities in Midlothian Council, Rocket Science suggested that different employer engagement activities can play four different “roles” in a young person’s educational journey and transition to work (Midlothian Council et al, 2016):
Understanding jobs – clarifying future options from P1-S6: These activities give students insights into different sectors and job roles, some of which they may start to consider or reject on the basis of their aptitudes and aspirations
Relevance of learning to the world of work from S1-S6: These activities give students an understanding of how their school subjects and curriculum content are relevant and can be applied to the world of work
Preparing for work (including building skills and confidence) from S2-S6: These activities give students insights into the everyday routines of different jobs and helps them develop soft skills such as communication and team-building skills
Gaining a job or entry for further/higher education from S3-S6: These activities help pupils to transition from education to work or further or higher education.
Rocket Science, 2016, Midlothian Council for Midlothian Development the Young Workforce Group – Review of Work Experience

7. Impact on pupils – when it works
WHY EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES:
A 2015 study (Mann et al, 2014) explored the reasons that 190 young British adults provided as to why they found engaging with employers during their time in schools as beneficial. Following recent attempts to explaining the educational and economic outcomes of employer engagements activities in terms of “capital” gains, their answers were placed in three impact categories:
Cultural capital: The attitude and confidence with which young people navigate their career
Social capital: The “trustworthy reciprocal social relations” and wider networks young people are able to build up through employer engagement activities will ultimately help them “gain information, observe, ape and then confirm decisions and actions with significant others and peers”
Human capital: The knowledge and skills young people have acquired, ie their employability skills.
While employer engagement has traditionally been understood as enhancing young people’s human capital (employability skills), the most common cited impact by students was cultural capital: the confidence and motivating with which students navigated their educational experience and job search.
WHO BENEFITS FROM WHAT
Teachers believe different employer engagement activities to be effective for learners at different stages. In particular, teachers believe that “low achievers” benefit most from sustained engagement with employers – work experience or mentoring – whereas “high achievers” benefit from less substantial but more targeted interventions such as careers fairs or mock interviews.
73% of teachers believe work experience to be impactful for low achievers, followed by learning resources (62%) and mentoring (57%). For high achievers, however, the three most widely consider impactful activities are career fairs (76%), mock interviews (75%) and long-form enterprise (73%). (Mann et al, 2016)
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FULFIL DIFFERENT ROLES ACROSS PUPILS EDUCATIONAL JOURNES
In a previous review of work experience and employer engagement activities in Midlothian Council, Rocket Science suggested that different employer engagement activities can play four different “roles” in a young person’s educational journey and transition to work (Midlothian Council et al, 2016):
Understanding jobs – clarifying future options from P1-S6: These activities give students insights into different sectors and job roles, some of which they may start to consider or reject on the basis of their aptitudes and aspirations
Relevance of learning to the world of work from S1-S6: These activities give students an understanding of how their school subjects and curriculum content are relevant and can be applied to the world of work
Preparing for work (including building skills and confidence) from S2-S6: These activities give students insights into the everyday routines of different jobs and helps them develop soft skills such as communication and team-building skills
Gaining a job or entry for further/higher education from S3-S6: These activities help pupils to transition from education to work or further or higher education.
Rocket Science, 2016, Midlothian Council for Midlothian Development the Young Workforce Group – Review of Work Experience

8. The more engagement, the bigger the impact
Each participation in a career talk at age is associated with a wage premium of 0.8%
Young people who undertook four or more employer engagement activities are 86% less likely to be NEET than their peers who did not take part in such activities
See table on slide.

9. What kinds of benefit?
Across all school types, young people described cultural capital gains (ie increased confidence and academic motivation)
However, human capital gains (employability skills) were more prevalent among young people who had attended grammar or selective state schools.
See table on slide.

10. Different kinds of employers provide different experiences
Micro-businesses can provide a ‘family atmosphere’, a wide range of experiences (from dealing with customers to back office roles) and a lot of responsibility
SMEs cover a wide range of experiences and often driven by the commitment of their leadership. Some responsibility.
Large organisations have significant HR resources and can provide a well- designed and supported experience – either in depth or breadth. Little or no responsibility.

11. Impact on pupils – What maximises impact?
An early start to engaging with employers
Using the “authentic” information provided by employer to provide insights into jobs of the future in the regional labour market
The number of times a pupil engages with employers
The variety of different employer engagement activities that pupils are exposed to
Pupils using a management tool with which they can review their learning and career development
The quality of the engagement
Matching pupils to employer type/size
The timing in their educational pathways
WHY EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT AFFECTS EDUCATIONAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES:
A 2015 study (Mann et al, 2014) explored the reasons that 190 young British adults provided as to why they found engaging with employers during their time in schools as beneficial. Following recent attempts to explaining the educational and economic outcomes of employer engagements activities in terms of “capital” gains, their answers were placed in three impact categories:
Cultural capital: The attitude and confidence with which young people navigate their career
Social capital: The “trustworthy reciprocal social relations” and wider networks young people are able to build up through employer engagement activities will ultimately help them “gain information, observe, ape and then confirm decisions and actions with significant others and peers”
Human capital: The knowledge and skills young people have acquired, ie their employability skills.
While employer engagement has traditionally been understood as enhancing young people’s human capital (employability skills), the most common cited impact by students was cultural capital: the confidence and motivating with which students navigated their educational experience and job search.
WHO BENEFITS FROM WHAT
Teachers believe different employer engagement activities to be effective for learners at different stages. In particular, teachers believe that “low achievers” benefit most from sustained engagement with employers – work experience or mentoring – whereas “high achievers” benefit from less substantial but more targeted interventions such as careers fairs or mock interviews.
73% of teachers believe work experience to be impactful for low achievers, followed by learning resources (62%) and mentoring (57%). For high achievers, however, the three most widely consider impactful activities are career fairs (76%), mock interviews (75%) and long-form enterprise (73%). (Mann et al, 2016)
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FULFIL DIFFERENT ROLES ACROSS PUPILS EDUCATIONAL JOURNES
In a previous review of work experience and employer engagement activities in Midlothian Council, Rocket Science suggested that different employer engagement activities can play four different “roles” in a young person’s educational journey and transition to work (Midlothian Council et al, 2016):
Understanding jobs – clarifying future options from P1-S6: These activities give students insights into different sectors and job roles, some of which they may start to consider or reject on the basis of their aptitudes and aspirations
Relevance of learning to the world of work from S1-S6: These activities give students an understanding of how their school subjects and curriculum content are relevant and can be applied to the world of work
Preparing for work (including building skills and confidence) from S2-S6: These activities give students insights into the everyday routines of different jobs and helps them develop soft skills such as communication and team-building skills
Gaining a job or entry for further/higher education from S3-S6: These activities help pupils to transition from education to work or further or higher education.
Rocket Science, 2016, Midlothian Council for Midlothian Development the Young Workforce Group – Review of Work Experience

12. Benefits to employers

13. Benefits to employers

14. Key points
Extensive evidence of school/employer engagement having a positive impact on attainment, career choice, subsequent earnings and reduced NEET
The more engagements, the bigger the impact
The main reason for impact is increased confidence and more positive attitudes towards schooling
Some benefit most from sustained engagement with employers (eg work experience or mentoring)
Some benefit most from more targeted interventions eg (careers fairs or mock interviews)
Different types of engagement bring different benefits – and their impact is enhanced by getting the timing right
Different types of employers can provide very different kinds of experience
Employers (and their employees) benefit as well as pupils/teachers

15. How can we convert this into useful tools for headteachers, teachers and pupils?
For headteachers/DYW leads in schools:
What is their pupil profile and therefore what benefits do they want from employer engagements?
What kind of employers and forms of support do they need, when, to provide these benefits? What are the gaps in the current set of relationships? How can current relationships and offers be best targeted?
For teachers and guidance staff
What kind of experience will benefit a particular pupil or group of pupils
What form should it take and should it be one-off or sustained?
When is the best time for each kind of experience?

16. How can we convert this into useful tools for employers?
What kind of opportunities and offers can they make for the pupils of a particular school and at different stages?
How do they want to build this into their own staff development priorities?

17. Q and A

18. Breakout
How could you use this evidence to develop your engagement approach?
What kind of tools might be useful to help you build on this evidence?