engaging employers tom nutland, policy officer. uk commission for employment & skills the uk...
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Engaging employers
Tom Nutland, Policy officer
UK Commission for Employment & Skills
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES):
• a non-departmental public body (NDPB)
• led by a group of Commissioners who guide our work and provide expert opinion and advice.
• Commissioners represent large and small employers, the public, private and voluntary sectors and further and higher education.
• chaired by Sir Charlie Mayfield of the John Lewis Partnership
Three questions…
1. What kind of labour market are young people entering?
2. What are the barriers young people face when looking for a job?
3. What is employer engagement and why is it important?
What kind of labour market are young people entering?
‘Hour-glass’ economy
Quality and security of work
A skills shortage in some sectors, a skills surplus in others
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16-17 18-24 25-34 35-49 50-64 65+
Unemployment rate by age group
What are the barriers young people face when looking for a job?
1. Getting experience2. Getting in3. Getting on
This data comes from the UKCES Employer Perspectives Survey 2014
Getting experience
Young people are well prepared for work, but they lack experience
Employers value work experience, yet not many offer it
Where you live affects the opportunities available to you
Getting in
Word of mouth and personal recommendation is still the primary route by which employers recruit young people
‘Earning and learning’ is in decline: in 1997, 42% of 16- 17 year old students were also working. This figure has drastically declined to only 18% in 2014.
Fewer ‘entry-level jobs’ due to economic and technological change
Getting on
Young people mainly recruited into low-skill, low-pay jobs, with fewer opportunities to progress
The contraction in middle-ranking jobs, which typically provide a stepping-stone into higher-paid jobs
Skills mismatch – better qualified workforce, but under-utilisation of these skills in certain sectors
What is employer engagement and why is it important?
Lack of experience is the number one reason that employers turn young job applicants away
There is huge energy and commitment from employers, as well as enormous scope for creativity
Employer engagement:
• develops employability skills• raises aspirations• provides an employer relationship and workplace contacts• gives relatable careers information
What is it?
Employer engagement is not necessarily just providing two weeks of work experience in the summer. It can include:
Providing good quality careers information Setting up mock interviews Offering to give talks in schools or hosting site visits Organising challenges, competitions and project work for students Mentoring Running online activities Internships
Main reasons for not engaging with educational institutions for the purposes of providing work experience/inspiration
Schools“Students not advanced enough” … 24%
“Legal requirements” … 22%
“Not been approached by these institutions” … 16%
“Too much bureaucracy / red tape” … 1%
“Previous poor experience” … 1%
Colleges “Not been approached by these institutions” … 29%
“Don't have the time or resource to engage” … 26%
“These institutions are not interested” … 4%
“Difficulties communicating with these institutions” … 3%
“Too much bureaucracy / red tape” … 2%
“Previous poor experience” … 1%
Good practice
Benefits to employers
Brand loyalty and profile
Market insights and customer base / workforce diversity
Staff development and engagement
Talent planning or ‘derisking recruitment’
Summary
‘Hour-glass’ labour market means that young people need to be given the best start in their careers
Work inspiration is an opportunity for employers to show commitment and creativity
Experience of the workplace is highly valued by employers but offered by too few
Approaching employers or education institutions as partners and maintaining a long term relationship is beneficial for young people and employers
That’s all folks…
Get in touch or find out more:
Visit www.ukces.gov.uk
Email me at [email protected]
Follow on twitter @ukces