10 things that really make a

difference in bringing schools and

employers together

Tristram Hooley

CAREERS &
THE
ENTERPRISE
COMPANY
About this presentation

This is my personal perspective on how to make school-employer

engagement work.

It is not the views of the Company.

References are given at the end.

2|
10 things that really matter

1. Brokerage is essential
2. Understand what is in it for employers
3. Size matters
4. Understand what is in it for schools
5. Link to career and enterprise provision within the school
6. Understand what is in it for young people
7. Don’t waste my time
8. Deal with the health and safety worries
9. Get in for the long haul
10. Remember that you are not alone

3|
#1 Brokerage is essential

Education and employer links don’t just happen. They require

prolonged effort.

It is difficult for schools to manage employer liaison directly.

The existence of a brokerage agency, brokerage professionals

and a brokerage system are therefore critical.

You make it all happen!

4|
#2 Understand what is in it for employers

Solving skills Recruiting the right

shortages people

Employers
motivations

Developing the Growing a responsible

workforce brand

5|
#3 Size matters

Large organisations find it easier to work with schools that

smaller organisations.

But… most people work for smaller organisations.

Think about how far the employers that you are working with are
representative of the economy.

What can you do to involve smaller employers?

6|
#4 Understand what is in it for schools

Schools have a statutory duty to provide career guidance. This

covers the provision of employer interactions.

Ofsted are attending to school’s careers and enterprise provision

more than in the past.

Parents are also enthusiastic about careers and enterprise

provision.

Good careers and enterprise provision supports many of the core

objectives of schools: attainment; school engagement and
progression.

7|
#5 Link to career and enterprise
provision within the school
Kolb’s experiential learning model

Action
Experience
planning

Theorisation Reflection

8|
#5 Link to career and enterprise
provision within the school
The school’s career and enterprise provision is where young
people make sense of the employer engagement experiences
that they are having.

Do you know what the school’s programme looks like?

How are you helping them to develop it to accommodate and

make use of more employer engagement activities?

9|
#6 Understand what is in it for young
people
• Improved motivation
• Improved contextualisation of learning
• Improved attainment
• Greater understanding of career pathways
• Clarification of career aspirations
• Improved chance of making a positive transition

Remember: There are benefits for employer interactions at all

ages. Not just 14+ where most of the activity currently takes
place.

10|
#7 Deal with the health and safety
worries
Both schools and employers are risk averse.

No one wants to get in trouble for things that they don’t have to
do.

You need to understand liability and be able to advise on

responsibility for health and safety checks and safeguarding.

11|
#8 Don’t waste my time

Both employers and schools are time poor.

Think about how much time you are asking them to give.

Remember that brokerage should make things quicker and easier

to do.

12|
#9 Get in for the long haul

Good relationships between schools and employers aren’t made

over night.

Building long lasting relationships is more important than

achieving flashy ‘quick fix’ interactions.

If in doubt think ‘how can I make sure that these people are still
speaking in three years time?’

13|
#10 Remember that your are not alone

There are lots of other organisations that are involved in

education/employer brokerage.

Do you know who else is operating locally?

Do you know what organisations are operating nationally?

How are you working with these organisations?

14|
10 things that really matter

1. Brokerage is essential
2. Understand what is in it for employers
3. Size matters
4. Understand what is in it for schools
5. Link to career and enterprise provision within the school
6. Understand what is in it for young people
7. Don’t waste my time
8. Deal with the health and safety worries
9. Get in for the long haul
10. Remember that you are not alone

15|
References

Bimrose and colleagues (2014). Understanding the link between employers and
schools and the role of the National Careers Service. London: BIS.
Deloitte. (n.d.). Helping Young People Succeed: How Employers Can Support
Careers Education. London: Education and Employers Taskforce.
Hallam and colleagues (2015). The Role of Brokerage Within Career Guidance: A
Literature Review. London and Derby: SQW and the International Centre for
Guidance Studies, University of Derby.
Hutchinson and colleagues (2012). Developing Business. Developing Careers:
How and Why Employers are Supporting the Career Development of their
Employees. London: UKCES.
Kolb, D.A. (1984). Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning
and Development. London: Prentice-Hall.

16|
Contact details

Tristram Hooley
Professor of Career Education
Senior Research Adviser to the Careers & Enterprise Company
thooley@careersandenterprise.co.uk

Also at

http://adventuresincareerdevelopment.wordpress.com

@pigironjoe

17|