Do you want to make a difference to a young person’s chances of gaining meaningful employment or training?
We have worked with thousands of students in over 50 schools offering a range of engaging activities which include the opportunity to meet employers and other business ambassadors. To make this a success, we’re always looking for volunteer business ambassadors to work with us on our employability programmes which we run throughout the year in schools and colleges across the East Midlands and beyond.
Why become a business ambassador?
Research from the charity Education and Employers shows that the more chances a young person has to meet an employer while at school, the less likely they are to become ‘Not in Education Employment or Training’ (NEET).
Having someone from the world of work come into school can help prepare students for when they move into work in a number of ways:
- Meeting people from a range of sectors allows young people to discover jobs they didn’t know existed thereby broadening their ambitions.
- They can hear first-hand not only the type of activities that take place in a work environment but which skills and qualities they need to develop in themselves to be successful. This can also help them to make the links between the skills they learn in subjects and how they relate to jobs.
- Business ambassador input can help schools to understand what is required of students when applying for a job, when they come for an interview and how they should behave when they begin work.
- Employer activities in school may be the first time a young person has met someone who can talk about their job and this can make a hugely positive impact. Hearing about the real-life experiences of others can motivate and inspire them to start thinking about their own career path if they haven’t already.
The afternoon networking session was fantastic. There was a real buzz in the room as students were given the opportunity to quiz industry representatives and gain an insight into the day-to-day role of each job. Vice Principal, The Manor Academy, Mansfield
Your advice and input into what we deliver in schools and how we do it is extremely important to us. We see the involvement of our employer volunteers as a partnership which helps to shape the messages and experiences young people receive to be successful in the world of work.
As well as the many benefits to students, you have the opportunity to:
- Explain to students your expectations of them when they enter the workplace thereby preparing them for a smoother transition from education.
- Tell them about any particular qualification, skills needs or skills shortages in your sector.
- Enlighten them to roles they may not have previously been aware of.
- Take away your experiences around how prepared for work the students are and the general qualification levels they are expected to achieve to help inform your recruitment processes or influence future training frameworks.
- Contribute to your organisation’s social value agenda.
- Promote your organisation within the local community and link with potential future employees.
Some employers go on to forge a closer relationship with schools following taking part in our employability activities.
What makes a good business ambassador volunteer?
Support for business ambassadors
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