Business Ambassador Handbook

Transcription

1 Business Ambassador Handbook

2 Contents 1. Overview a. Careers Lab Background b. Careers Lab Pilot - Findings c. Overview of the modules and resources provided d. Structure and approach: the partnership model i. Planning ii. Delivery iii. Review and Evaluation 2. The role of the business: Business Ambassador a. Overview of the Business Ambassador role b. Skills and qualities required c. Expectations and commitment i. Stage 1: Preparing for the visit ii. Stage 2: Delivering the session d. Things to remember when on your schoolvisit do s and don ts e. What if... scenarios f. Basic Health and Safety g. Child protection h. Help on hand 2

3 1. Overview a. Careers Lab Background There is a clear problem facing young people today: careers education in schools falls well short of what business, educators and parents require and what our children deserve. It is failing to inspire and raise the aspirations of secondary school students, resulting in too many young people struggling to secure employment at a time when employers cannot find the skills they need. The persistent problem of youth unemployment and skills shortages demonstrates that there is something fundamentally wrong with the transition from school to work. A key challenge is that teachers are not experts about business or how companies recruit, and nor should they be. As a result businesses need to get more involved in careers education and schools need a simpler means of contacting and engaging the right employers to augment their curriculum and help make improvements for students. Careers Lab was created to address these issues and to link schools with business partners in order to make a real difference to careers education in UK schools. Through the programme schools have invaluable access to Business Ambassadors who bring their knowledge and experience of the world of work to the classroom to help inspire and motivate students to start thinking about their own career journey. Through connecting schools and businesses, the programme not only aims to raise the aspirations of students but also provides an opportunity to help build meaningful and lasting partnerships which could give rise to a number of other future opportunities for collaboration. b. Careers Lab Pilot - Findings In 2014 the Careers Lab programme was piloted in five schools in the Midlands, carefully chosen to represent a broad range of demographic backgrounds as well as academic achievement. In total approximately 1,400 students across will have taken part in at least one Careers Lab module. Surveys were conducted of students, teachers and Business Ambassadors to help measure the impact of the pilot. Two roundtables, one with participants and one with industry and educational bodies were also conducted to gain qualitative feedback. From this research nearly four in five students (79%) agreed that Careers Lab module taught them a lot about jobs and opportunities available to them whilst 85% of Business Ambassadors agreed that the experience benefitted their organisation. c. Overview of the modules and resources provided There are four progressive modules designed for Key Stage 3 (11-14 year olds) and Key Stage 4 (14-16 year olds). Careers Lab have provided a number of flexible resources which teachers and Business Ambassadors can adapt together in order to deliver an engaging and beneficial session. 3

4 Here is a summary of the four modules: Module Student objective Business Ambassador role Inspire Think about their interests and how they might relate to future careers Reflect on their skills/qualities and the types of occupations they might be suited to Communicate the skills/qualities needed in their role Explain how their role fits into the wider industry and economy Share role models Aspire Develop a sense of control of their own career pathway and the range of options available, including University Technical Colleges and apprenticeships Understand how school subjects are linked to future career pathways Motivate to explore favoured career options Discuss school subjects that help in everyday work life Explain their own career pathway and the reasons behind specific choices Explore Understand the day-to-day reality of working life and the types of roles that might suit them Be able to identify a network of encouragers and helpful resources available to them Explain their working day and typical activities Provide examples of own skills/qualities Talk about supporters and influencers through their career journey Action Understand how a candidate can promote strengths to an employer Recognise how employers select candidates based on skills and experience Give insight into skills/qualities employers look for in job interviews Share best practice for interviews Explain recruitment process for entry-level positions in their company Provide mock interviews 4

5 KS3 (aged 11-14) students do not need to make decisions about their future immediately although they will have to make options choices and some may choose to attend a specialist school at this age. They should understand that they are in control of their own career journey, that there are a range of options available to them and there is the support available to help them make informed balanced decisions. By the end, students should have a stronger sense of their career aspirations, and be equipped and motivated to explore their options further. Teachers need career examples to motivate students to study. KS4 (aged 14-16) students will have selected their subject/exam options and have an idea of their intended career direction. Teachers need practical help to give students clear directions and an understanding of achievable actions to help them plan their next steps. They need practical and functional tools to make their aspirations a reality. Each module includes the following resources: Core Module Materials: PowerPoint Presentation (PPt) setting the module context and introducing the session. Vocabulary Word Bank definitions for common work terminology. Qualification Diagram illustrates possible pathways, qualifications and levels. Student Skills Log - enables students to reflect and track their development. Activity Specific Materials: Lesson plan for each activity (including extension ideas for teachers/students). Corresponding Student Activity Worksheets. 5

6 d. Structure and approach: the partnership model Careers Lab involves a partnership model between businesses and schools which has three stages: Planning: Each business/partner should nominate a lead person to facilitate and coordinate activity. They act as a key contact between the Business Ambassador and the school, as well as a link to the overall Careers Lab Project Manager. Once a Businees Lead has been allocated a school (or vice versa) they contact the relevant Teacher and Business Ambassador to arrange all of the details. They are also responsible for collating evaluation feedback through guidance provided by the overall Careers Lab partnership. Schools select the module(s) which best suits the age and needs of their class and works with the Business Ambassador to plan the delivery of the module. The Business Ambassador will ideally have a planning visit/prior contact to agree approach and materials and familiarise themselves with the school. Delivery: Business Ambassador(s) and teacher co-deliver the module. Review and evaluation: Business Ambassador and teacher evaluate the impact of the module including the learning outcomes through their agreed process. This can vary depending on which route the session is set up e.g. direct with business or through a delivery partnership such as Business in the Community (BITC). 6

7 2. The role of the business: Business Ambassador a. Overview of the Business Ambassador role Business Ambassadors are crucial to the success of the programme. Here is a list of how they will be expected to get involved in the classroom: Talk to the whole class or small groups about their work, company and career journey. Share delivery of the materials provided with teacher. Act as a consultant or adviser to groups of children. Participate in role play sessions as part of learning material Act as an audience for the pupils to present their work. Act as a role model and be interviewed by pupils. Give pupils a design brief or real problem-solving activity. Discuss, debrief and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of pupils work based on criteria agreed with the teacher. To ensure success, it is important that the Business Ambassador and Teacher discuss how the module will be delivered, before the scheduled date and agree clear roles and responsibilities. b. Skills and qualities required Careers Lab is open to a wide range of Business Ambassadors with different stories, experiences and qualities. Students will be motivated by individuals who are confident, approachable, engaging, good communicators, happy working with young people and who they can relate to. This is a great opportunity to strengthen personal skills and qualities and can be used in a variety of ways e.g. to demonstrate leadership, to improve presentation and communication skills, as part of a team building activity or as a way of demonstrating project management capabilities. Business Ambassadors will bring unique insights from the world of work by: Providing real examples of career pathways, qualifications and expertise that people who work in their business have. Providing real examples of how the knowledge they gained in education has been useful. Engaging in activities that develop key employability skills. Showing how employers require attitudes and personal qualities that students develop in their school studies (e.g. tenacity, accuracy, respect etc) Improving students understanding of the work practices of individuals and small businesses. c. Expectations and commitment The time required will vary between schools and could range from one 60 minute session to a half day event. The Business Ambassador works with the lead contact/school to agree requirements as each school will have different needs. Once a date and time are confirmed it is essential that the Business Ambassador sticks to the commitment. Schools will have suspended normal lessons, arranged staff cover, changed timetables and moved other classes to make this event happen so it is important that they arrive on time. 7

8 Stage 1: Preparing for the visit At the initial site visit, the Business Ambassador should check and agree they have done the following: Watched the training module(s) Confirmed the date, time and location of the visit. Agreed which module session and detail of who will be doing what on the day. Agreed who is photocopying any accompanying resources for the students. Printed out a hard copy of the PPt, the Activity Overviews and any accompanying resources. Familiarised themselves with the detail of the session well in advance of the visit day. Identified any particular considerations with the class e.g. SEN. Explored where the best place to park is many school car parks are full to capacity during the day. Remembered to bring identification on the day (some school receptions will ask to see this on arrival). Discussed any arrangements for lunch if required. Stage 2: Delivering the session key questions Students will engage with the activity if it is new, exciting and interactive. Think about the following questions and prepare simple answers: How much do you earn now? How much did you earn when you started? What career path did you take? What did you do after school and why? (e.g. job/company/sector) What jobs have you had? What do you do today? What drives you? What ambitions did/do you have? What things do you dislike about your job? Why? How do you deal with this? What challenges/setbacks have you faced? What did you do? What provisions are made for disabled people/those with SEN in the workplace? What would happen in the workplace if someone shouted at their boss/bullied someone/didn t wear the appropriate clothes/turned up late/didn t do their work? (I.e. think about school issues and the consequences students would face if they behaved like this in the workplace?) What should I expect in my first job? (I.e. think about setting realistic expectations about entry-level roles). 8

9 Stage 3: Measurement and reporting back The Business Ambassador and teacher will evaluate the impact of the module including the learning outcomes through their agreed process. This can vary depending on which route the session is set up e.g. direct with business or through a delivery partnership such as Business in the Community (BITC). It may be that a measurement framework will be put in place e.g. surveys for students, teachers, businesses and parents but this will be communicated separately to all participants. 9

10 d. Things to remember when on the school visit Do Insist that a member of the teaching staff is present in the room at all times. Leave the behaviour management to the teaching staff this is not the Business Ambassadors responsibility. Avoid physical contact with the students even a pat on the back for good work. Be positive. Even if questions are answered incorrectly, try to find something positive to comment on. Set realistic expectations of workplace conditions tell students about challenges, failures and set-backs and how they were overcome. Use language that students will understand. Enjoy the experience! Speak up! Make sure everyone in the room can see and hear you. Remember to contextualise your job; your role is part of a company, which sits with an industry sector, which contributes to the national economy etc. This will demonstrate how individual career choices have wider implications then just the immediate personal benefits. Give insights into the kinds of things employers look for from interview candidates as well as examples of your day-to-day roles. Your USP is that you are an employee but you also know what employees are looking for. Most students will understand what an engineer might do broadly speaking, but they won t know the daily tasks involved e.g. team meetings, site visits, testing sessions, training, report writing, presenting etc. Try to give examples of times when you ve worked alone, and in a team; used different skills e.g. leadership, collaboration, problem-solving; worked different hours etc. to paint a picture of what your job involves. Reinforce any points the teacher makes by bringing it back to the work place how would a skill, quality or attitude be appreciated in a work environment? Keep the session flowing; it may take time for students to warm up to a new visitor and sometimes they can feel embarrassed or pressured if asked a question or told to present in front of the class. The teacher will be able to give guidance and encouragement. Think about your future commitments in advance; schools love to create lasting partnerships with businesses, but it is important you understand that any future commitments must be achievable. It is worth discussing this before the session with your line manager and the teacher e.g. you could bring along business cards and encourage students to you in the future or write up the web address of your company s career section. 10

11 Don t Allow too many questions to eat into your delivery time ask that questions are saved until the end. Use pupil cloakrooms or toilets. Be in a room on your own with pupils - even before or after your session there should still be another staff member in the room. Leave an awkward pause if no one answers your question. Move on quickly and don t worry! Laugh at a student s answer, but do give positive praise. Promise anything you are not completely sure you can deliver on (especially with experiences such as internships, work experience or holiday placements). e. What if scenarios Below are some common concerns that Business Ambassadors have regarding their volunteering visit. In practice these are all extremely rare, but the explanations below help to prepare for that just in case moment: What if......the teacher leaves the classroom during the session? Teachers have a duty of care and should never leave the class whilst a Business Ambassador is there. If a teacher does leave the classroom the best advice is to follow them out and explain that you would feel more comfortable if they remained in the classroom for the duration of the session....a child is misbehaving? Classroom management is the responsibility of the class teacher, and they should be the ones to control such behaviour. There is nothing wrong in waiting for the children to be quiet before speaking, or even asking that everyone is listening before you begin, but issues with specific children should be dealt with by the class teacher. If this is not the case and a child is causing a problem speak directly to the class teacher who should then act upon this....i m asked a question that I don t know the answer to? It happens frequently within schools and is nothing to worry about. The key is not to bluff your way through. Children are extremely intuitive so be honest and tell them that you re not sure. You can add that you ll find out and let their teacher know so they can pass the answer on to them. 11

12 ...a child tells me they have a secret that they want to tell me? Such secrets are normally harmless, however, very occasionally children can make statements of disclosure which schools must act upon. If a child approaches you with a secret it s best to refer them to their teacher or another member of staff. If a child does disclose something to you which you are concerned about this must be passed on to the class teacher who will follow the schools policy on disclosure. f. Basic Health and Safety Ensure you re aware of the school s fire emergency procedures. There should be emergency procedure information in every classroom. Careers Lab will not be doing Disclosure and Barring (DBS) checks but different businesses will have their own policies so you may wish to carry out the DBS checks and any risk assessments if appropriate. Contact should be made with the school in advance to confirm whether you need to bring identification. g. Child protection The school should provide a copy of their child protection policy prior to your visit. Please ensure that you read this and understand the school s requirements. h. Help on hand The Business/Partnership Lead role includes: 1. Supporting their Business Ambassadors, including: Getting started: briefing them on the materials and introducing them to the school. Checking and monitoring progress and offering or signposting additional support if required. Dealing promptly with any issues or problems from Business Ambassadors or the partner school. 2. Facilitating relationship with the school, including: Being the first point of contact for any issues between school and Business Ambassador. 3. Measurement, including: Logging Business Ambassador s name, school, and hours they give. Coordinating feedback from the school and Business Ambassador and feeding this back to the Careers Lab Project Manager. If you have any further questions or concerns please contact your Business/Partnership Lead. Alternatively, you can contact grace.mehanna@bitc.org.uk at Business in the Community. We hope you enjoy your Careers Lab experience! 12