Blogs

• 13Oct2010

  Employers help young people find the words for work

  Posted by Sally Melvin

  In my time as a teacher I was keenly aware of the disparity of aspirations between the pupils whose literacy skills were good and those whose skills were below average. Often a direct link could be made to the social aspects of a child’s life and their confidence and level of aspiration. I became involved in business engagement programmes with my local authority and witnessed first-hand how contact with adults from local businesses served to increase pupils’ confidence, knowledge of the world of work and aspirations for their future.

  Our Words for Work project seeks to unlock young people’s communication skills for their future employability by bringing in volunteers from local businesses to work alongside them. I believe this can directly affect their view of their future employment prospects and raise their aspirations. Business engagement in schools can change attitudes and impact on young people’s lives, an opinion that is supported by a recent report by Deloitte, commissioned by the Education and Employers Taskforce. David Cruickshank, Deloitte Chairman said, “The involvement of employers, when done properly, motivates, inspires and informs young people, and prepares them for the workplace by making them aware of the skills and attitudes employers expect them to have.”

  Running the first Words for Work pilot this year, I have seen the young people who participated become inspired, motivated and better informed about work and their potential to succeed. One of the young people I worked with said, “I still don’t know what I want to do but I think I can do anything now that I’ve been to Words for Work.”  Another said, “First I wanted to be a nursery teacher because you don't have to do presentations and such, but now I feel I can do anything because I have the confidence in me now. I will try to become a lawyer which I always wanted to.” These quotes provide compelling proof that Words for Work, which teaches communication skills through business engagement, can change young people’s lives for the better.

  I am now setting up the second Words for Work pilot, which is being delivered in 15 schools in six regions around the country. Despite the current difficult economic climate the response from local businesses wanting to take part has been very positive. At a local level, employers can see the benefits to the young people and the future benefits to themselves of engaging in schools. National employers are calling for a better prepared future workforce. I hope that in the future policy makers listen to those calls and support initiatives like our Words for Work project. With their support we can make it available nationally and narrow the gap for those disadvantaged young people whose aspirations prevent them from achieving what they want in life.

Return to blogs