According to Oxford Learning College, two thirds of large UK businesses struggle to recruit employees with the skills they need. At the same time, the Institute of Government & Public Policy (IGPP) reports that 70% of secondary school leavers do not know what career they want.
As your local skills hub, tackling these issues are among our top priorities and, since school is the second most popular source of careers information for young people, encouraging educators to engage with employers through the teacher encounters scheme is a big part of this work.
The scheme connects local businesses with schools to provide educators with opportunities to discover how their curriculum can better reflect the real world of work. By the end of the experience, which typically involves a trip to the workplace for an industry crash course, participants should feel empowered to advise students about the roles available across different sectors, pathways to these roles, entry requirements, recruitment practices and the importance of soft skills.
Our most recent collaboration saw staff from John Hampden Grammar School, Chiltern Hills Academy, Alfriston School and Chiltern Way Academy check into De Vere Latimer Estate for an insight into the hospitality industry, which we’ve summarised here.
