Types of engagement

Working with employers is not limited to work experience and mentoring (although these are indeed popular and very useful ways of helping students). Nor is it restricted to working with very large employers with many resources - all sizes of employer can work with schools and colleges.

There are many different ways that employers can work with education, depending on the preferences and availability of both the employer and school/college, as well as the required outcomes from the experience. The employers' ability and willingness to work on different types of education engagement with the school or college depend on whether the employer:

  • is a large or small organisation
  • wishes to work with primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, specialist schools, academies, or other types of schools
  • wants to dedicate a large or small amount of resources
  • wants to dedicate a large or small amount of time
  • aims for employees to become involved as volunteers
  • would like tangible or quantitative outcomes or not.

Teaching staff are encouraged to read through this page and look at the ways in which they can work with employers. The diagram below gives a good overview of different methods of engagement.

Some staff may already have a clear idea of how they would like to get involved, in which case they can go straight to the relevant page in this section for more information on their chosen method of engagement. Alternatively they can visit Take action if they already know about their chosen method.

 

Visit our Schools campaign

 

The Taskforce is leading a national campaign to persuade business leaders from all sectors to visit state schools and colleges during the week of the 18 - 22 October 2010 to have a practical and open conversation with head teachers and young people. 

Taking part is completely free to everyone and only requires 1 or 2 hours of your time in the week of 18-22 October to host a visit. To register to take part visit: www.visitourschools.org

It will be chance for bosses from private and public sector organisations to hear from school leaders, teachers and pupils about they can help the motivation, skills and employability of young people.

 

 

The four main types of engagement

Broadly, there are four main types of engagement, each of which includes a number of possible engagement activities.

ways_of_working_diagram

Most activities do not require a financial contribution from employers, but time, expertise and skills instead. The exception is sponsoring a school/college or student.

 

Forming a partnership

Whatever the level or type of involvement, schools and colleges should work to ensure that they develop deep, long-lasting partnerships with employers, rather than one-off or ad-hoc arrangements.

Partnerships are relatively long-term relationships based on mutual benefit.
Effective partnerships are serious commitments that develop in different ways and take different forms, including:

  • a one-to-one relationship between an employer (or a branch office) and a local school/college, covering multiple activities
  • one-to-one relationships between an employer (and its branch offices) and a group of 'link' schools/colleges
  • more complex local partnerships with groups of schools/colleges, involving other organisations (such Education Business Partnership Organisations, local authorities, other companies and voluntary organisations)
  • national partnerships, including the running of national competitions among schools/colleges; and relationships with national brokers.

Ideally they involve:

  • clear needs and capacity assessment as well as analysis of the benefits to be achieved by the different stakeholders
  • assessment of the necessary conditions for the partnership's success, e.g. the need to address the curriculum
  • communication between school/college contacts and employer contacts, including regular reviews of how the partnership is progressing
  • a partnership agreement detailing what has been agreed.

 

Already working with employers

This Guide is also useful for schools and colleges that have already have partnerships or have worked with employers in the past.

Many schools and colleges already work with employers to offer students work experience,  mentoring and classroom talks, but may not be aware of the other forms of engagement. Visit the different pages in this section for information on the many different ways that employers can engage with education.

Furthermore, schools and colleges may not have developed strong partnerships with employers in the past; this is something that the Teachers' Guide intends to promote. Read about Forming a partnership above.