Partner With a School or College
Businesses across Scotland are forming meaningful relationships with schools and other education providers. Here at DYW Orkney, we are helping local employers to build and develop these partnerships for the mutual benefit of both parties.
One of the great things about connecting with a local school is that every partnership is different. What this means for you as a business is that a partnership can be tailored to suit the needs of both you and the education provider, meaning that your involvement can be big or small. What matters most is that it brings mutual benefit to your business and to the young people who are the workforce of tomorrow.
Benefits of forming a partnership with a local school or college include:
If you are ready to explore what a partnership could look like for your business, please contact [email protected] and telephone number 01856 569 352 or 353.
You can also click below to read the Scottish Government’s Guidance Notes on School/Employer Partnerships.
One of the great things about connecting with a local school is that every partnership is different. What this means for you as a business is that a partnership can be tailored to suit the needs of both you and the education provider, meaning that your involvement can be big or small. What matters most is that it brings mutual benefit to your business and to the young people who are the workforce of tomorrow.
Benefits of forming a partnership with a local school or college include:
- The opportunity to promote your industry and show-case the opportunities within it
- A steady flow of Early Careers engagement to create your future talent pipeline
- Directly contributing to young people developing the right skills for the workplace
- The chance to raise business profile and reputation within the community
- Providing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for your staff
- Being part of a wider business network who are directly influencing our young people
If you are ready to explore what a partnership could look like for your business, please contact [email protected] and telephone number 01856 569 352 or 353.
You can also click below to read the Scottish Government’s Guidance Notes on School/Employer Partnerships.
Financial Support
Did you know?
In partnership with the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland continues to offer a wide range of support benefiting small businesses from Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI) to help in taking on a Modern Apprentice, or business consultancy available through Skills for Growth.
In partnership with the Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland continues to offer a wide range of support benefiting small businesses from Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI) to help in taking on a Modern Apprentice, or business consultancy available through Skills for Growth.
Provide Career Advice
We all remember what it was like trying to make career decisions. It isn’t always easy knowing what opportunities are out there and what skills employers are looking for.
Engaging with education is a great way for employers to highlight the opportunities available within their industry and to educate young people about the skills required to be successful in the working world.
There are a range of ways in which you can get involved in providing career advice to local young people, including:
These activities can support your business to raise awareness of your industry, which will not only inspire young people to consider new career options, it will also inform them of what they need to do to get there, which – in terms of talent attraction - is of huge benefit.
If you would like to get involved in providing Career Advice, please contact [email protected] and telephone number 01856 569 352 or 353.
Engaging with education is a great way for employers to highlight the opportunities available within their industry and to educate young people about the skills required to be successful in the working world.
There are a range of ways in which you can get involved in providing career advice to local young people, including:
- Delivering a Career Talk within a classroom environment
- Attending a Careers Fair at a local school or college
- Providing support with employability skills such as conducting mock interviews for pupils
- Delivering masterclasses on topics such as CV writing or interview techniques
- Providing Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions to teachers
These activities can support your business to raise awareness of your industry, which will not only inspire young people to consider new career options, it will also inform them of what they need to do to get there, which – in terms of talent attraction - is of huge benefit.
If you would like to get involved in providing Career Advice, please contact [email protected] and telephone number 01856 569 352 or 353.
Host a Workplace Visit
There is no better way to allow others to gain an insight into your industry than to facilitate a school visit to your business. Showing pupils – and teachers – around your organisation is a great way of bringing your industry to life; it gives people an understanding of the working environment and the opportunities available. Employers find that hosting site visits is a great way of promoting their industry to the next generation workforce, and to their direct influencers.
If you would like our support with helping you to set up a workplace visit, please contact [email protected] and telephone number 01856 569 352 or 353.
Alternatively, if you have an opportunity you would like to share, please use our online noticeboard.
If you would like our support with helping you to set up a workplace visit, please contact [email protected] and telephone number 01856 569 352 or 353.
Alternatively, if you have an opportunity you would like to share, please use our online noticeboard.
First time hosting a workplace visit? Why not click below to check out our top tips.
Set a Real Life Business Project
Getting pupils involved in an innovative business project can help students to understand the business world and to learn practical, work-based skills. Pupil involvement in projects can also add value to any business through the fresh ideas and insight that young people can contribute.
Business projects are a great way of:
If this is an activity you would like to get involved in, please contact us, and we can support you in taking the next steps.
Already have a business project that you want to get pupils involved in?
Business projects are a great way of:
- Highlighting the importance of listening and following instructions
- Demonstrating how to work together as part of a team
- Developing pupils’ communication and presentation skills
- Improving organisational and project management skills
If this is an activity you would like to get involved in, please contact us, and we can support you in taking the next steps.
Already have a business project that you want to get pupils involved in?
Get Involved in School Competitions
School competitions are a great way of getting the next generation workforce to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas which can provide real added value to businesses. Competitions can help young people develop key skills such as creativity, planning and teamwork which will help them kick start their carer, whilst employers are benefitting from the future talent pool they have a direct role in shaping and developing.
School competitions have one thing in common – they all started with an idea. A simple idea can lead to a great opportunity, whether it is on a small or large scale, whether it is delivered in one school or ten schools.
If you want support to implement your idea, please contact DYW Orkney at [email protected] or by calling 01856 569 352 / 353.
Alternatively, you can use our online tool to share details of the competition you want to offer.
School competitions have one thing in common – they all started with an idea. A simple idea can lead to a great opportunity, whether it is on a small or large scale, whether it is delivered in one school or ten schools.
If you want support to implement your idea, please contact DYW Orkney at [email protected] or by calling 01856 569 352 / 353.
Alternatively, you can use our online tool to share details of the competition you want to offer.
Offer a Work Placement
We understand that, for many employers, the perception of a work placement is that they are required to offer a traditional week-long placement in the workplace, a format which employers have told us is not always right for their business. This is why we wanted to let you know that work placements have changed to make way for an approach which is much more flexible and tailored. Placement options now range from bite-size placements through to extended placements, therefore offering employers much more choice when it comes to providing opportunities.
Definition (Education Scotland)
Work placements should enable young people to experience a relevant, challenging, enjoyable and appropriate learning experience within the contemporary workplace. A placement should help the young person to make informed decisions about their future careers.
It can be challenging for young people to get their foot on the career ladder. This is why it is so important for young people to have as many opportunities as possible to gain real life work experience before entering the world of work. If young people are not exposed to the working world while they are still at school, how can we expect them to be fully armed with the work-based skills and understanding that we need from them when they are in employment?
By offering an opportunity which will fit around your individual business needs, young people are more likely to have a positive, more meaningful experience which will develop the essential core skills that employers are looking for.
If you would like to offer a work placement opportunity to a local young person, please contact us discuss what would work best for your business.
Definition (Education Scotland)
Work placements should enable young people to experience a relevant, challenging, enjoyable and appropriate learning experience within the contemporary workplace. A placement should help the young person to make informed decisions about their future careers.
It can be challenging for young people to get their foot on the career ladder. This is why it is so important for young people to have as many opportunities as possible to gain real life work experience before entering the world of work. If young people are not exposed to the working world while they are still at school, how can we expect them to be fully armed with the work-based skills and understanding that we need from them when they are in employment?
By offering an opportunity which will fit around your individual business needs, young people are more likely to have a positive, more meaningful experience which will develop the essential core skills that employers are looking for.
If you would like to offer a work placement opportunity to a local young person, please contact us discuss what would work best for your business.
To read more detail about work placements, please click below to access the Developing the Young Workforce Work Placements Standard.