How to inspire the next generation
Inspiring young people about employment opportunities is important to ensure a pipeline of talent that businesses will need in the future.
Careers East Sussex exists to support and inspire young people to make their next best steps and understand what jobs and careers are out there for them. We provide opportunities by linking businesses with schools and colleges to help bridge the gap between education and employment. There are lots of ways employers can support young people and help them understand about the world of work.
Industry Champions are volunteers from any industry and from all levels. They support young people in schools or colleges to open their eyes to the world of work, their sector and career journey. This could be through involvement in just one activity or careers event or as many as volunteer has the time to get involved in. It is a great way to introduce young people to your organisation and industry and contribute to your local community.
Find out more about Industry Champions here.
Local employers literally open the doors to their workplaces to small groups of students, giving them the opportunity to explore the site, meet and hear from employees, and learn about the job roles and career pathways within the sector. This can be for a couple of hours, right up to a whole day experience. Employers can decide how many times they’d like to do it and when to make sure it fits with the needs of the business.
Open Doors has helped young people decide their career paths and inspired them work harder in schools. It has even led to work experience placements and volunteering in businesses which have hosted businesses. Offering Open Doors is a great way to contribute to your local community.
Find out more about Open Doors here.
Would you like to support young people aged 14 to 16 that are looking for a career in your sector? Offer work experience, fully supported by the Steps to Success team.
find out more here
Work experience is now offered in all sorts of ways in schools, colleges and universities and at different times of the year. This could be via the traditional 5 days for Year 10s (15 year olds), bespoke placements for young people who are finding it hard to decide on their next best steps, or placements for college students (16 – 18 year olds) who are undertaking A Levels, T Levels or BTECS or university students to support their courses.
The East Sussex County Council work placement team manage Year 10 work experience placements for schools , find out more here: employer-Guide-to-Work-Experience.
College and University placements are managed by the educational providers themselves.
T level courses require all students to have a minimum of 40 days employer experience, this includes work experience. This can in the form of block weeks or bespoke placements such as a 2 days per week. They can be a great way to try before you buy before taking on an apprentice or trainee as part of your workforce planning.
Enterprise Advisers are like a business consultant that volunteer their time. It involves an employer supporting a local school or college across an academic year to develop their careers provision using their knowledge and expertise as an employer to act as a critical friend and champion careers and skills.
Find out more about Enterprise Advisers here.