NHS England launches annual school careers contest
Schools across England are being invited to join an exciting curriculum-linked contest which raises career aspirations and teaches pupils about the National Health Service. Developed in partnership with teachers, the annual Step into the NHS competition encourages secondary school students to research and create a job advert for an NHS profession while learning about more than 350 careers in the health service. Winning pupils will be presented with Amazon gift vouchers and have the chance to see their work displayed in the local community. Participating schools are provided with a wealth of free learning resources and lesson plans. Previous entrants have emphasised what a fulfilling learning experience the contest is, with 90 per cent of teachers saying Step into the NHS has helped their students understand the range of career opportunities in the NHS. The resources are aligned to the KS3 curriculum, helping teachers meet several of the Department for Education’s careers strategy aims and the Gatsby benchmarks for Good Career Guidance. This year’s national winner, 14-year-old Tanvir Tamber, impressed the judges with a poster and video exploring the role of an A & E doctor. Now the pupil at Derby Moor Spencer Academy, Derby, has been rewarded by seeing her winning entry tour her home town, including schools and shopping centres, on the side of an environmentally-friendly advertising van. She said she had enjoyed researching a career for which she had a ‘genuine passion’. “The highlight was discovering the amount of insight needed and the range of conditions you have to be able to deal with, enabling you to discover your eventual specialism,” she added. Tanvir’s teacher Carol Eziz said: “Our other students asked lots of questions and are really proud that one of their own has created something so wonderful. ‘The competition gave us a great opportunity to promote thinking seriously about careers in the NHS and see that if you put in hard work and effort, amazing things can happen.” Hundreds of schools take part in the Step into the NHS competition every year. This year’s resources are newly-refreshed and include a ‘ready to go’ lesson plan which can be delivered in just an hour. Teachers can find full details here:- https://www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk/secondary-school Read more QA Education News
Resource bank showcases careers in the creative sector
For students who wish to pursue a career in the creative industries, it can be difficult to see the relevance of studying subjects such as maths, English and science. So Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Burberry have teamed up to launch the latest FutureGoals careers resources which will help the region’s young people learn how the skills they are gaining at school are used in the creative industry. Created in collaboration with local businesses, schools and with the help of students the programme is based around the production of a festival. Spotlight can bust a few myths around careers in the creative sector and provide a wider understanding of the less well-known, yet in-demand roles. A year 9 student from Ossett Academy said: “I really enjoyed the mapping activity and being challenged in the budgeting task.” Students will need to use their English, maths and science skills and knowledge to tackle every aspect of the planning and running of a festival. Through the various tasks, quizzes, group activities and discussion topics, students will become aware that there is more to the creative sector than the well-known design-based roles. A year 9 student from Ossett Academy said: “I now know that there are many jobs in the creative sector and how maths, English and science skills are all needed.” Creative industry is region’s fastest-growing sector Following major creative icons such as Channel 4 and Burberry settling into Leeds City Region as their Head Quarters, the creative industry is now the region’s fastest-growing sector providing incredible job opportunities to local people. There are currently over 30,000 people working in the creative sector in Leeds City Region with that number predicted to increase. Pam Batty, Secretary of The Burberry Foundation and VP of Corporate Responsibility, Burberry said: “The FutureGoals Spotlight campaign provides a unique and interactive approach to equipping young people with valuable insight on entering the creative industry. The Leeds City Region has a fantastic creative network and this campaign will open up a world of opportunity for young people by introducing them to many diverse and stimulating career paths. “The Burberry Foundation is dedicated to using the power of creativity to drive positive change in our communities and this accessible toolkit can help empower young people to forge a new path with meaningful support.” The new Spotlight campaign, aimed at students from years 7 to 11 includes a series of interactive and engaging resources, all designed to give students a taste of what it would be like to work in the creative sector. Spotlight has been developed as part of the LEP’s wider careers campaign, FutureGoals which provides inspiration to help people of all ages feel inspired and informed about careers in Leeds City Region. Roger Marsh OBE DL, Chairman of the LEP and NP11 said: “Spotlight is a fantastic addition to the LEP’s FutureGoals campaign, highlighting the wide range of exciting careers available in the creative industry. “This innovative project-based approach incorporates maths, science and English to build confidence and skills transferable to roles in this sector.” Educators, careers advisers or influencers to young people are encouraged to download the FREE Spotlight resources at www.futuregoals.co.uk/spotlight
How can we effectively close the disadvantage gap?
Sharon Davies is the CEO of Young Enterprise and a highly experienced youth worker. Having left home at 16, Sharon was working in a Kwik Save at 19 when she was spotted by a youth worker who noticed her savvy and calm interactions with misbehaving teenagers outside the shop. The youth worker then encouraged her to go into youth work herself – a turning point for her own future. Here, Sharon discusses closing the disadvantage gap by giving young people the skills they need to succeed… A 2019 report by the Education Policy Institute found that the attainment gap between the most disadvantaged students and their peers is increasing. Disadvantaged students are almost two years behind by the time they finish their GCSEs. The report ‘Who’s Left 2019’ found that the extent of the disadvantage gap has historically been masked by ‘off-rolling’. This is the practice of removing students from rolls, based on whether or not they were enrolled in January of Year 11, which more often than not improves the GCSE results of a school. The FFT Education Datalab, which produced the report, found that 24,600 students disappeared from school rolls in 2019, compared to 22,000 in 2018. This problem is getting worse. Disadvantage gap highlights inequality According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, income inequality in the UK is amongst the highest by international standards, and regional inequality is higher than any other large wealthy country. More and more young people are not getting the fair start they deserve. In fact, according to a recent poll by the Social Mobility Commission, 74% of people in the South East believe that there are good opportunities for them to make progress, compared to 31% in the North East. It is critical that young people with the least access to social capital are not left behind. So how can we reduce the disadvantage gap? The answer lies in ensuring every young person is provided with meaningful opportunities to develop crucial skills as a fully integrated part of the education system. Our current knowledge-based curriculum has created an exam led approach to education which inevitably leaves some young people behind. It increases pressure on teachers and school leaders and exacerbates challenges such as off-rolling. There is a greater need than ever to teach these crucial financial and entrepreneurial skills in our schools. Having the opportunity during school years to develop work skills and gain insight into the range of career opportunities available is a prerequisite for social mobility. Confidently understanding money puts young people in a good position to start their working lives. We are currently not doing enough to give young people the consistent access to the skills they need. Consequently, opportunities to even the playing field are being missed. Buidling on transferable skills It’s not just about understanding the world of work and finance, but all of those transferable skills that are going to be the currency of employability in young people’s futures. At Young Enterprise, we never fail to be amazed by the impact our programmes can have on our participants. Young people develop a confidence they never had, able to solve real-life problems in real-time, learn from their mistakes and adapt accordingly; these are the skills that enrich academic attainment to maximise opportunity. Just imagine if every young person were given equal access to develop the skills they need to succeed in addition to their academic achievements. Imagine the increased opportunity if a young person can showcase their potential through both academic achievement and skills development, and these were equally valued by employers. This vision is not a million miles away. It is one that Young Enterprise wholeheartedly believes in, it’s one that employers call for every year, and it is one that enables teachers to do what they entered the profession to do – inspire, enthuse, and prepare young people most effectively for their future. With a new language of success, together with the access to develop skills to match, so many more young people – regardless of their background – can begin to aspire to success. We’re committed to making change happen. By 2023, Young Enterprise aims to create a minimum of 1 million opportunities to help young people activate their untapped ambition. But as the ‘Who’s Left’ report showed, there is still a long way to go. We owe it to our young people to act today to equip them with the skills and confidence they will need to succeed tomorrow. All of our futures depend on it.
Five reasons to teach entrepreneurship to teenagers
Catherine Whitaker, CEO & Head of Learning of EtonX, discusses how to teach entrepreneurship skills to the next generation of business leaders… Entrepreneurship has gained mass appeal on our TV screens, through the naked ambition of the Apprentice or the trenchant verdicts of the Dragon’s Den judges. But are we missing the opportunity to communicate entrepreneurship’s wider value in preparing for our schoolchildren for the future? Having developed an online entrepreneurship course for teenagers around the world, I know there are many transferable skills children can develop from entrepreneurship training. Here are five of the key ones. The first is creativity. Entrepreneurship requires students to use idea generation techniques both to come up with new business opportunities and to deal with the hurdles they might meet putting their idea into practice. Analytical thinking is the second benefit. Children will come up on day one with ideas such as a music-sharing app but guiding them to carry out research and find out if there is actual demand for it develops analytical skills. Entrepreneurs are quick to test ideas (often with a Minimum Viable Product), learn from test results and decide either to iterate or to start again. This, too, requires analysis but also, adaptability – the third key skill. Students learn to be flexible, to embrace different perspectives and respond to feedback. The fourth skill is persuasion. Gaining support for a product or service from potential collaborators, investors and customers requires persuasive skills. Students need to think hard about what will motivate any of these people to support them, what messages will appeal and how to present their calls to action. Finally, teenage entrepreneurs rarely work alone so the skill of collaboration is also developed through entrepreneurship experiences. Putting students in groups to develop a concept and pitch it to their peers creates an engaging way to gain build their confidence and ability to work with others. Generation Z need to develop core skills like entrepreneurship These transferable skills – creativity, analytical thinking, adaptability, persuasion and collaboration ‒ are critical for rounding out Generation Z’s education. As jobs worldwide are being automated away by technology, our students need to develop the core human skills that allow them to adapt to change with new ideas and ways of working. The Apprentice and Dragon’s Den provide a gripping view of entrepreneurship. For my money though, the true benefits of teaching this subject lie in its fostering of children’s ability to come up new ideas, analyse success or failure and work collaboratively in a team, all of which equip them with crucial soft skills for a fast-changing world. See www.etonx.com for more information on entrepreneurship courses.
The gender gap in STEM careers
STEM subjects encompass stereotypically male-dominated careers: science, technology, engineering, and maths. History has always leaned in favour of men within these subjects, which could explain why the number of females in these industries is still low. These damaging stereotypes, as well as preconceptions of what these careers entail, have left industries such as manufacturing wholly unappealing — nearly three-quarters of women admitted to Women in Manufacturing (WiM) they would not consider a career in manufacturing. How do we attract more women into these roles? In order to want to fill a job yourself, you must be able to envisage yourself in it first. For a woman looking at a male-dominated industry, it is difficult to do so. Therefore, to encourage more women companies need to recruit and retain more women — starting at the top. For example, the FTSE 100 was able to report an increase in female-held directorships in 2018. Despite the number of female executive directorships remaining the same between 2017 and 2018, directorships rose from 294 to 305, a rise of 1.3%. However, out of these 100 companies those in the construction and building sector only featured twice. The UK has the lowest percentage of female engineers across Europe. In fact, countries such as Cyprus having nearly three times as many women in similar roles. This article will focus on women’s relationship with the STEM and manufacturing industries and how to encourage female pupils into further studying STEM – laying the path for their careers. Missing the potential The first thing to look into is the sector’s existing employees. A 2016 survey found how manufacturing had the largest pool of untapped talent, simply because there were very few women in the roles previously. Not only is there an abundance of female staff available but they are also highly qualified, most possessing not only a bachelor’s but a supplementary master’s degree. Despite these qualifications, more than half of women employed in this sector feel they are treated differently due to their gender. This moves away from stereotypes however and into a dangerous position of discrimination. Women being in these roles has proved to be beneficial not only in plugging the gender gap, but also for the company’s profitability themselves. Research suggests that every 10 per cent increase in gender diversity relates to a 3.5 per cent increase in gross profit. Marci Bonham, Hilti’s Managing Director, believes that ‘supporting women as they take their first management steps within the industry will have a positive impact overall’. Shine theory This thought process links to shine theory. This theory carries significant relevance to women trying to crack the heavily dominated male industries. The workplace can be a hard place for anyone starting new, but for a woman starting off in a new role surrounded by mainly men — well the aforementioned stats speak for themselves. The shine theory looks at how much women can succeed if they befriended other females in the workplace, instead of battling against them. Effectively, this American concept emphasises how surrounding yourself with positive and successful women will create a positive atmosphere within. Careers development Despite being nearly half of the entire workforce in the UK, a report by the Guardian showed that women only make up 14.4% of the STEM workforce. This is despite the fact they make up almost half of the overall workforce. The best way of encouraging girls into STEM careers is to establish more prominent idol like figures within these subject areas. Take for example Brian Cox, it is easier for young boys interested in getting into physics to relate to him. Alternatively, Donna Strickland as a physicist from Canada, became only the third woman ever to win the Nobel Prize award for her science. Her name, along with others who achieved spectacular heights, needs to be promoted throughout kids of a young age. Apprentice routes University isn’t for everyone. This has seen apprenticeships gain in popularity once again. The statistics for the sectors women are choosing to carry out apprenticeships in doesn’t bode well in supporting this plug of the gender gap. Subject areas including learning support, travel services, and beauty therapy, all had 80% or more female applicants. On the other hand, vehicle maintenance and repair, gas industry, and construction skills all had below 10%. Here, we look at two companies who are pushing to increase their number of apprenticeships who are female: Lookers Group, retailer of Ford Transit Connect, has its own female apprentice network. The scheme is based around setting up regular meetings between female apprentices, providing them with the opportunity to share their new-found knowledge and experiences. British Gas is actively encouraging more women to enrol on its apprenticeship scheme. They similarly draw upon the fact, that by putting more women into male-dominated apprenticeships, the gender pay gap is likely to be bridged. Sources: manufacturinglounge.com growthbusiness.co.uk vinazine.com/2019/01/07/the-shine-theory-what-it-is-and-why-you-need-it/ bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-37360233 notgoingtouni.co.uk/blog/girls-in-apprenticeships-3694 industryweek.com/leadership/women-untapped-resource-manufacturing business-school.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/businessschool/documents/research/Female_FTSE_Report_2018.pdf
Girls in STEM careers: Nothing is impossible
Najwa Jawahar MEng, BEng CEng MIStructE, is a senior structural engineer at WSP – which provides a range of services from building high-rise property to mining precious metals. Here, she reviews the Rocking Ur Teens event which took place earlier this year in a bid to inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM industries – and boost pupils’ confidence. Nothing Is Impossible I am a chartered structural engineer and specialise in the design of tall buildings. I joined WSP, a global design consultant in the built environment as a graduate engineer and have now been in the industry for over 7.5 years. I believe nothing is impossible and all you need to do is truly believe in your dreams. I am a huge advocate of inspiring, educating and mentoring the next generation. For this reason, when Sandy Parris from Rocking Ur Teens approached me in 2017, I couldn’t say no. Since then I have been supporting the event and absolutely enjoy being part of their journey. “What if there were no engineers?” is the question I ask the girls. What if there was no clean water, nowhere to sleep, no school to go to, no mobile phone, no hospitals, roads. Everything around us is engineered in some way or form. Without engineers, life would be very different from how we see it today. I let the girls imagine their own life without the facilities they have around. The reactions are amazing. In May, Rocking Ur Teens hit Manchester for the first time, to inspire, excite and educate our teens. I looked forward to the conference myself because it brings together so many role models under one roof and empowers them with fun. Careers engagement with added fun As a speaker, I shared my story, I shared what I do and how I chose my career path. Believe it or not, I used the method of elimination. I decided what I didn’t want to do and ended up being a Structural Design Engineer. I shared that you don’t necessarily have to be an engineer to work in an engineering firm and you don’t need to have done mathematics and physics to make a difference to the world around you. But in engineering, you don’t just talk. You build. So, I got the girls to construct their own towers using spaghetti and marshmallows – a challenge to either engineer the tallest structure or the longest structure. I received fantastic responses. Within the groups in action, I saw leaders, I saw the team working, I saw creativity and innovation, and above all, I saw huge smiles. I genuinely believe in the vision of Rocking Ur Teens and the impact it is having on the future generations. It’s an excellent platform to empower teenagers in a fun way. For more information on the careers opportunities promoted by Rocking Ur Teens, see rockingurteens.com
Future First helps budding lawyers with careers insight
Young people interested in a career in law have the chance to gain careers insight and work experience at a leading legal firm under a programme designed to improve social mobility. The national education charity Future First has partnered with Taylor Wessing to offer a programme for 80 sixth form students from London schools which will improve their aspiration and confidence and boost their job readiness and employability. The students joined Taylor Wessing staff for insight days designed to inform them about what to expect from a career in law and the skills needed to succeed in it. Those who showed ability were linked with a Taylor Wessing mentor who worked with them more closely over three months. Students who impress on the mentoring scheme will now progress onto Taylor Wessing’s Tomorrow’s Talent programme which provides students with meaningful work experience, client insight and support to apply for education or employment opportunities in future. Future First’s programme aims to provide Taylor Wessing with a diverse pipeline of entrants into law. It also gives the firm’s staff the opportunity to develop their skills in volunteering with young people who would not normally expect to encounter such prospects. Students attending insight days came from Eastbrook School in Dagenham, Hayes School, Canons High School in Edgware, Woodhouse College in Finchley, The UCL Academy in Camden, The London Academy in Edgware and Carshalton High School for Girls. Future First connects employers and pupils Taylor Wessing is one of several employers working with Future First to connect their employees with motivated young people in need of role models in the world of work. Current employer partnerships include The Wellcome Trust, Ashurst LLP, KPMG and Rothschild. Future First/YouGov polling shows that 70 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds think it will be hard to get a job when they leave school or college and 39 per cent don’t know anyone in a job they would like to do. Future First Chief Executive Officer Matt Lent said, ‘Young people cannot be what they cannot see. It is vital to open young people’s eyes to a world beyond their own and broaden their jobs horizons. Our Taylor Wessing partnership will enable students who aspire to a career in the legal sector to achieve what may otherwise have been impossible.’ Dan Harris, Taylor Wessing’s Diversity, Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, said ‘Our long-standing partnership with Future First targets young people in state education, enabling them to reach their full potential. Our partnership is an example of how embedding a relationship makes a big difference to our local community, our people and our clients. The varied backgrounds of our volunteers help to show there is no ‘right’ background and that anyone can pursue their ambition with some guidance and encouragement.’ For further information see the Future First website or call 0207 239 8933.
Rocking Ur Teens: Year 9 pupil Caitlin blogs about conference
Caitlin McShane from class 9D at Southend High School for Girls took part in an empowering conference organised by Rocking Ur Teens, aimed at boosting confidence amongst young people. Here’s how Caitlin found the experience… On Tuesday 12 March, following International Women’s Day celebrations, twelve Year 9 pupils attended the Rocking Ur Teens girls’ conference, which took place at the NatWest offices, Bishopsgate. Rocking Ur Teens is a social enterprise whose goal is to give young people the skills, confidence and ideas needed for their futures. Stepping through the revolving doors perfectly welcomed us to the corporate world that the rest of the day would begin to ease us into. It seemed almost surreal at first to be given lanyards – something only workers are frequently seen with. The vibrant presenter Remel London (Capital Extra, Sky One and a live events host) somehow managed to make approximately 200 Year 9 girls, who had travelled from all over the south of England, feel energetic. The speakers who followed came from a vast variety of backgrounds and jobs; each of them sharing their unique experiences from the working world. Sherah Beckley, a sustainability and corporate responsibility specialist, spoke about how she went from a sixth form student to working with members of the UN. Her message was about re-inventing yourself – telling us that life is not a single pathway and that the only blockade to success is our self. Rocking Ur Teens leads to Rocking Ur Life! Next came Jillian ‘JJ’ Simmons from Houston, USA, a radio and TV host, speaker and author. She taught us about self-empowerment, the power of words and the social empowerment among our friends. After ‘JJ’ was Nick Howe, a businessman working for NatWest, who told us about entrepreneurship and his speciality in supporting small to medium enterprises. We learnt how to push ourselves forwards towards what we want, and about the appeal of working for yourself and the best ways to do so. A corporate panel formed of employees from some of NatWest’s numerous partners (e.g. Hermes, Sage, Coca Cola) followed. This was one of the most informative talks as we were able to discuss almost on a one-to-one basis with a speaker. We spoke to a lady who represented women and ethnic diversity in new businesses and we learnt how to prepare for our futures as well as receiving wisdom about job interviews – something that we have never really discussed before. After lunch Jillian Kowalchuk talked to us about Artificial Intelligence and how it would affect the future. She had great experience in the field, having created an award-winning app, Safe and the City, and it was impressive to hear her story as CEO of the company that developed it. The Armed Forces then showcased their diversity. This section was presented by three women from the Navy, Air Force, and Army. They showed us how leadership isn’t just one person in control but really just organised methods of teamwork. The day came to a close with a vocal performance by Sherika Sherard, a busker turned music star. Her story was particularly inspiring as it showcased how your world can be turned around provided you remain passionate at what you’re doing. All in all, it was an insightful and empowering day. For more information on Rocking Ur Teens and the work it does with young people, see rockingurteens.com
Students taste life in the food industry with Future First
School students interested in a career in food are taking part in a programme to demonstrate the breadth of jobs available in the industry and increase their work skills. National education charity Future First has partnered with The Flava People, who supply the UK’s leading retailers, restaurants and food manufacturers with sauces and seasonings, to inform state school students about the skills necessary to succeed in the food and hospitality industry. Under the scheme, The Flava People will welcome Year 11 students from two Manchester state schools, Burnage Academy for Boys and Sale Grammar School to its Sharston factory to see the production line first hand, benefit from the experience of staff and learn the skills they need to be successful in work. The insight days will help students understand the wide range of careers available in the food industry and the study routes students should choose to pursue specific roles. The project forms part of The Flava People’s ‘Flavour to Fuel change’ commitment to promote the industry in higher education and to support Manchester’s young people while providing a future diverse pipeline of young people coming into the industry. The Flava People is one of several leading employers working with Future First to connect their employees with young people in schools and colleges. The link between schools and employers enables students to broaden their horizons and boost their confidence, motivation and knowledge about career pathways. Future First believes everyone should be able to succeed in a career of their choice, regardless of their background. The charity’s research shows almost five in ten young people receiving Free School Meals don’t know anyone in a job they would like to do and that three quarters of them don’t believe that they can be successful. Matt Lent, Chief Executive Officer Future First, said: “Students cannot be what they can’t see. Future First’s new partnership with The Flava People will provide inspiring opportunities for more young people to develop their employability skills and understand the food industry. Students will be able to connect with experienced staff whose stories will bring the industry alive. Hearing from employees in interesting jobs helps students make better-informed decisions about what they need for their working life as well as develop the skills employers are looking for.” Scott Dixon, Managing Director of The Flava People said: “We believe passionately in the power of food and flavour as a tool to drive positive change, not just for businesses and brands but across education, employment and beyond. We have a responsibility to use what we have, what we know and what we’ve learnt to empower others who might not otherwise get that opportunity. Future First, with their extensive knowledge of the education sector, was the obvious partner with whom to start this journey.” Teacher Pippa Conley, Faculty Leader for Design & Technology at Sale Grammar School, said: “Our students came back to school brimming with enthusiasm after all of the activities they took part in. I really do think they have had their eyes opened to many diverse careers and possibilities for the future.” For further information on Future First visit the website Picture caption: Students from Sale Grammar School attend The Flava People’s Sharston factory to learn about the industry.