Ace - The Youth Employment UK e-Mag APRIL 14

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employ e t a e - cr advise

in this edition: A Review Of The Budget Construction Industry Pull-Out Interview With Simon Reichwald Of Bright Futures Cleaning Up Your Online Presence

r u o g n hi c ’ n P u M a y L l d n e i r F ‘Youth ign campa Find out how you can challenge your MPs to become Youth Friendly UK FREE / #15 APRIL 2014


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contents //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

YEUK 15 19 27

BBC3 Free Speech Audience Has Their Say Labour Market Analytics 16-24’S Can Join The Club

this month’s pull-out

spotlight on a sector:

CONSTRUCTION /////////////////////////

see centre pages ➔

Hints & Tips 10 12 20 24 24 26 28

Making Dreams A Reality Cleaning Up Your Online Presence – Part 2 Considering An Apprenticeship? Think About Coaching? Creative Cover Letter Where To Go For Careers Information Not Sure What To Do After Graduation?

Personal Stories 04 05 18

Meet A YEUK Ambassador – Shwetal The Budget – What Young People Need To Know Why I Volunteer

Interviews 07 11 22

Interview With Simon of Bright Futures Interview With A Graduate Meet The Apprentice – Frankie

For Employers 06 14

Youth Employment UK C.I.C Group

Work Experience – A Guide For Employers YEUK Membership Benefits

For Fun 08 09 16

YouthEmploymentUK

Up & Coming Events Digital Bad Hair Days Just For Fun – Word Search

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@yeuk @YEUK2012

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PERSONAL STORIES

Shwetal Shah a YEUK Ambassadors shared with us what she is currently up to what her future plans are. Shwetal is very passionate about youth unemployment and is currently pursuing an MSc in International Marketing at Strathclyde University. She writes regularly for the e-mag and this month has collated the highest ambassador credits on our ambassador reward scheme! “I am an international student, looking for a tier two sponsor to employ me after my studies. I know hiring an international student in the UK is difficult due to the changes in the legislations, in addition UK youth unemployment issues also make my search harder. This is why I am a Youth Ambassador; I know there are British citizens who deserve the chance before an international student does. However, if I can stay I know I would be contributing to the UK economy (taxes) and the community” I have always been hardworking and ambitious; I have raised funds for the homeless at the age of 11, I started my own social enterprise aged 15 and was featured in a British Youth Council report last month. Starting up at 15 taught me time management, finance, budget, quality control, marketing and

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improved my communication skills. I started working from the first year at uni, also volunteering at my university events and NGOs. I worked with three different companies over three years from Public Relations to working in an e-commerce start up in my second year. I worked on marketing, branding, strategy and liaised with international artists and taught English to the street kids. I have worked in business development, client relations and copy for a design agency for small and big clients. I started my own creative and marketing blog alongside, working in teams for university projects and enrolling in a leadership project desensitizing the community in gender equality. Soon after my bachelor’s results in July I stumbled across Scottish Youth Parliaments Peer Programme and sent my application to them from India and a week before my flight in September, I had a Skype interview and was selected for the Peer Programme which entailed reaching out to the youth in Glasgow and undertaking community outreach programmes. Since I have been in the UK, I have visited schools and community clubs and met a lot of locals. I have also worked part time at an e-commerce start-up in Glasgow

helping with digital marketing strategies. Also with a student marketing company, helping companies promote their events with the students on campus. I started with Youth Employment UK to share with young people the brilliant opportunities and write for the e-mag on issues related to youth employment. Having been in the UK for nearly five months, I have achieved a great deal more than I ever did in India. Simply due to the opportunities here, it is incomparable to anywhere else in the world! Strathclyde has an amazing opportunity for start-ups and that’s the reason why I am bringing this http://3daystartup. org/ organisation to my university. I have also had the opportunity to attend events for young people who want to start their own business by YEZ Glasgow and the amount of knowledge I have gained is priceless! One of my dreams is to start a social scheme where disadvantaged youth are enrolled in the 12 month programme and get hands-on training and lessons from local banks, retailers, chemists on how businesses work and then they work on their business plans and get funded by the local business community, chambers of commerce or venture capitalists.


PERSONAL STORIES

l tran e a h c i by m Chancellor George Osborne opened up the budget announcing how growth forecast has trebled from 0.6% last year to a whopping 2.7%! He also stated the economy will continue to grow to be at least £16 billion larger. This growth can be used to invest in training and education, and as such, Osborne has pledged to invest in more apprenticeships and new degree-level apprenticeships. But you need to remember that the Government can only control what it can spend and invest on – not you. This means you should do everything you can to take advantage of new investments, so ask yourself – are you prepared? With a recovering market, the financial industry and risk sector will be amazing places to start. Consultants across both sectors will be in demand, and companies will want to invest in talent and skills to make sure this crisis doesn’t happen again. www.discoverrisk.co.uk is a great example to get started with advanced apprenticeships with the financial centre of London. Retail companies are getting more funding for training, and it’s a great place to start gaining experience and fast-tracking management roles. Part-time employment in retail is becoming increasingly common; so if you’re one of the 1.3 million people that

have got into part-time and want to go full-time, retail training is a great place to explore. A recovering market will not come without dangers. Businesses will want to invest in IT, protecting themselves from viruses, hackers, and cyberspace criminals. There is a shortage of IT candidates in this country, but you can begin learning at QA IT apprenticeships or even MI5 apprenticeships! The budget also introduced the ‘Modern Industrial Strategy’. The initiative to make Britain a leading country in science, technology, and engineering; along with it a £3 million cut in export market, with a 33% tax cut. This should spark ideas for entrepreneurs looking to start a business in manufacturing, along with a greater need for market researchers. If you’re still in school, there are plenty of opportunities available. With a huge sum of £10 million being set aside to support volunteering groups from scouts, cadets, and girl guides – being a part of just one of these groups can develop all the skills needed to get into employment after education. More funds will be invested into the public services in the future. You’ll need to research the requirements and the steps to find the right job within this sector. If you already fit the requirement, see

if you can find a different job that can develop the skills needed in the public sector. This allows your skills, experience, and evidence of determination to stand out among the pile of applications. Don’t get left behind. Unemployment has dropped by 3% and we now have a higher employment rate than the US. If you’re looking for a first job you need to jump on this fundingbandwagon. Voluntary experience can lead to part-time employment. Part-time employment can lead to full-time employment. And qualifications can help you climb up faster, securing that ambition you’ve always thought about. If thought out correctly, you will be well prepared for all the opportunities that come along in the future. Remember, take action and become part of the plan. The budget will work around you, and you need to work with it.

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FOR EMPLOYERS

lings w a r e n -ja by laura ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// 45% of employers said in a recent UKCES survey that work experience was a significant factor when recruiting young people. Yet for many young people getting that first opportunity of work is becoming increasing difficult, schools no longer have a statutory duty to provide work experience and there are fewer opportunities for employment for young people. I benefitted from paid employment from age 13; paperrounds, babysitting, waitressing and catering work, ensuring by the time I left education I was well prepared for full-time employment. Work experience is essential for young people and there needs to be more opportunities to experience the world of work as early as possible. Many businesses across the UK offer some form of work experience which is fantastic. There are also many guides from organisations such as the CIPD, UKCES, BITC, Fair Train that help employers understand the business benefits, legislation and the importance of making the experience a quality one. UKCES produced a great report based on their “Not just making tea” campaign which you can read here you can read other reports and guides via our website www.yeuk.org.uk/ organisational-dashboard/ Here are some of the things employers should be thinking about when considering to offer work experience: • It’s good for your business – for so many reasons offering work experience is good for the employers

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– Bring new ideas into your organisation. – Use the process to develop your own staff by getting them involved in planning the experience or mentoring the young person. – Offering work experience is one of the activities that count in the application to become “Youth Friendly” so you can apply for the free national award. – It can help you to understand if you could support a trainee or apprentice at a later stage. • There is not so much ‘red tape’ as you may think – Employers do not need to carry out an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services (formerly CRB) check on members of staff supervising young people aged 16-17. – Employers’ liability insurance now covers work experience students, provided insurers are members of the Association of British Insurers. This can be confirmed with insurance companies. – Simplified Health and Safety guidance makes it clear that if organisations already employ young people, risk assessments won’t need to be repeated for work experience students. And employers with fewer than five employees won’t need a written risk assessment. • Work Experience is no longer the standard two week block placement – Thanks to changes in government and new programmes brought into education and training environments work experience is not just a fixed block. There are all sorts of opportunities to support young people working with schools, site

visits, mentoring and various levels and periods of work experience. It is much more focused on what your business can do to help. • Quality experiences count – the ‘Not just making tea’ campaign struck a chord as I remember much of my school work experience placement involving tea making and filing! – Think about the opportunity you have to inspire a young person, make it count. – Structure a placement so that the young person gets to experience different business functions and roles, even getting them to work on a project during the process that might give you an insight into a younger consumer, social media etc. Young people come with an arm of knowledge you can tap into. – Make sure there is a key member of staff linked with the young person to help out with any issues. – Put together an introduction session and an exit interview so that the experience can be reviewed. – Consider if it is an experience you would want your child to have.

//////////////////////////////////////// There are so many ways to get involved in supporting young people, if work experience is a step to far think about a career talk in school, or maybe you want to go further and look at traineeships or apprentices. Whatever option suits your business, you can talk to us to get more support and ideas and of course to apply for the free Youth Friendly badge so we can shout out about your commitment to youth!


INTERVIEWS

Simon Reichwald has almost 20 years of industry knowledge and experience recruiting and developing graduates in the UK and Europe, Simon owns and runs Bright Futures Resourcing, a leading graduate selection and development consultancy that works with many prominent graduate recruiters. Simon has a real passion for the graduate market. What is the Bright Futures Society and how was it originally founded? The Bright Futures Society is a studentled society that is supported by a national team who provide support to help each individual Societies reach their own objectives. Originally, it was known as the Student Industrial Society (SIS), established in 1976, by Cambridge students looking for alternative careers to the more obvious choices open to Cambridge graduates. This student-led society concept ‘took-off’ and has now grown from 16 to 55 University Bright Futures Societies, in the UK and the first set up in Australia last year. You took over the running of the Society network in 2007, why did you choose to do this? With vast experience in graduate recruitment, I was approached to take over the running of Society network, which had fallen into decline. At the time, I was running pro-bono sessions in universities across the UK called ‘How to get the best graduate job’. I was doing this as I felt students were too unprepared for the graduate job market and I wanted to improve this situation by sharing my knowledge. I took the opportunity to run the network as I felt that the Society would be a powerful vehicle to spread the knowledge students needed, providing a powerful platform to make this happen. So in 2007 we rebranded it as the Bright

Futures Society, set it up as a ‘not for profit’ and went about building it. The Society has been growing quickly, so how has the Society being student-led impacted this growth? I believe the Society has grown so well because it is student-led, and has the support of a national team. This approach of empowering students to take responsibility for their career and future is at the core of both what makes the Society strong, and why our approach to careers development is so different. By having student-led committees, the Society can tap into the enthusiasm of the students themselves, increasing the impact on their peers. Committee members know what events to hold for students as they have the same concerns and ambitions. How are you currently growing the Society? University Societies are continuing to grow, but not at the same pace as they have done which is a deliberate decision. Our focus is now on what we call ‘committee capability’ which is about helping committee members to grow their individual capability to grow and run a really strong Society within their institution. Our new area of growth is now into secondary schools, where we have set up Bright Futures School Societies. It was piloted in 2013 and has been extremely successful. What do your graduate partners (the recruiters) like most about Bright Futures events? Employers like that events are shaped and organised by the students themselves. Students that are members of the Bright Futures Society are careers orientated so the membership provides a relevant group to target as an employer. For employers, they want to meet and engage with focused, career-orientated students and if that

means smaller numbers then great, as huge numbers of disengaged students is of no value to them. What top three skills do you think employers look for most in young people? It’s tough to pick just three skills, but ‘commercial awareness’ is always up there. A student needs industry and sector understanding and why they want to work for a particular company/sector. Plus they to have an understanding of how the commercial world works and that commercial success comes from delivering results consistently. Taking the initiative to make things happen is also very important, as is challenging the status quo and finding new ways to achieve the required outcomes. Finally taking responsibility for your development and your career will help any new starter build their career more quickly. What one thing do you think the government could do to improve the prospects of ‘the lost generation?’ I think one thing that needs to change is the belief in young people. With such dismal news reports, it is no wonder that young people have lost belief that there are opportunities out there for them. The government needs to look into building a young person’s belief and confidence and this can start by making them more aware of the volume and types of opportunities out there.

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YEUK

Running an event that aims to support youth employment? Let us know and we will share it here. All events are free.

What Ladies Networking Event

Why Some Are More Successful Than Others

Free Business Support

Where Liverpool

Newcastle

London

When 2nd April

4th April

15th April

Who

How

Ladies

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ladiesfree-networking-liverpool-tickets10834766077?aff=es2&rank=32&sid=88f 03f1eb28011e38ae022000a9f3045

Everyone

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-aresome-people-more-successfulthan-others-free-workshop-tickets11004614097?aff=es2&rank=36&sid=88f 03f1eb28011e38ae022000a9f3045

Everyone

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-businesssupport-tickets-6783671143?aff=es2&ra nk=30&sid=16bdf2c5b28011e39943220 00a9f3045

Free You Mind Crowdfunder Launch

London

24th April

Everyone

www.eventbrite.com/e/free-yourmind-crowdfunder-launch-tickets7521229199?aff=es2&rank=19&sid=7c25 7161b27f11e39f8522000a9f3045

Bright Futures National Conference How To Get Hired Event

Wembley

26th April

Everyone

www.brightfutures.co.uk/home/events/ national-conferences/how-to-gethired-live-event-apr-2014.html

STEMtech Conference

London

29th April

Organisations

www.stemtechconference.com

Events in orange are where you get to meet members of the YEUK team, come say hi and let us introduce ourselves!

To have your event listed for free in the e-magazine it needs to be free for 16-24 year olds to attend and aimed at helping them to gain new skills for work or to find work opportunities themselves. If you want to advertise your Open Days, have a larger event listing or advertise your organisation in general please see our advertising rate card.

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Please send your event details (including date, a brief description, location, target audience and how you may be contacted for further information to: emag@yeuk.org.uk Please note: we accept no responsibility for the reliability or quality of the events listed and cannot publish any notices of cancellations or change of details.


FOR FUN

rs e n n a m ital g i d y g 9 – dod

(via www.digitalinformationworld.com)

Being a good citizen in a democratic society means having a moral compass that helps us abide by the rule of law. We all have rights and responsibilities. Increasing numbers of us now find ourselves to be digital citizens in the digital age. Digital bad hair days can occur time and again without some common guidelines to help us know what is right and wrong in this new world. Or is it down to plain old decency and treating people like you want to be treated? Take Kelly Blazek, an awardwinning ‘communicator of the year’ and self-professed ‘passionate advocate’ of young people, who turned out to have dodgy digital manners instead. She ran a popular online job bank for marketing

professionals in Cleveland, USA. This was her response to an email and LinkedIn request from Diana Mekota, a 26-year-old planning to move to Cleveland:

could see her credentials because a friend told her not to send a CV. Demonstrating huge restraint and no little humility, Diana apologised to Kelly!

“Your invite to connect is inappropriate, beneficial only to you, and tacky. Wow, I cannot wait to let every 26-year-old jobseeker mine my top-tier marketing connections to help them land a job. I love the sense of entitlement in your generation. You’re welcome for your humility lesson for the year. Don’t ever reach out to senior practitioners again and assume their carefully curated list of connections is available to you, just because you want to build your network. Don’t ever write me again.”

“I apologize if this came off as arrogant or invasive as that was never my intention. I was hoping to join your very impressive job board but I understand you reservations.”

Diana responded that she had sent a LinkedIn request so Kelly

You can guess the rest – the exchange went viral. Kelly ate a huge plate of humble pie in the media and the world moved on. “The note I sent to Diana was rude, unwelcoming, unprofessional and wrong. Diana and her generation are the future of this city. I wish her all the best in landing a job in this great town.”

t not to ge ore ways m e v fi Here are LinkedIn: to-notIn jected on /5-waysd 1 re e 3 k 1 2 in L /1 n g m e.co ng Well o connectin http://tim -on-linkedin/ Connecti ut you off on’t know p d ry te to c s t tha ud get-reje Don’t let edIn. If yo on for k in for a L n o le ps to ask e reas te s in t u h n with peop ig e e g se are e them a u. Don’t u And here n: them, giv ct with yo essage that e troductio n in n o In c d e to n.com/ k m g in n n L o s wanti ! ftran itio vitati o ty in s li e lt a u n re o g fa e e rs pe gd sk-for-awww.d the borin teps-to-a sert some g s n In ti . s /8 s e 0 re id /3 te v 0 in pro 2013/1 tion/ ound like LinkedIn -introduc n s’ if they s in e o d ‘y m e y k m a n s o li c y I ma some given izen, r we have they have ect. digital cit t d a n a re people o g ts s a nn les and ing nal intere ant to co e princip As for be w re y th e e professio th s e y r th ason wh ng: remembe a good re e go far wro respect others. ’t m n o s o h w s u li b o y n ta a s elf d to e ct with ect yours u ask can, aim p o s u y e o R y re • nd conne fo re a e e b lf e Wh m rs e u o th e y ip with rson, hav • Educate relationsh em in pe th t t e e g . t others. e r rs M o e , t. c oth nd protec media a l lf ia e c to conne t o rs s a u n o th y ation o someone • Protect a convers kedIn by in L n o d introduce . em knows th

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HINTS & TIPS

once e r e w -ups n of w o w r e f g l h l “A houg .” t – n e r child ber it m e m e them r -- Antoine de Saint Exupery, The Little Prince

We all grow up wanting to be something totally different than what we become (at least the majority), or wanting to make our childhood talent into a profession, but as time passes we can get so entwined in the daily dogmas of life, we leave what gave us happiness and meaning to our childhood behind.

///////////////////////////////////////////// 1. Were you a story teller? A dreamer? Did your imagination make others go “Ahh!” then being a TV producer is your calling card. With enough reality shows thrown at us, the world craves the old school fictional characters that have lost their presence somewhere between Big Brother and Jersey Shore.

2. Were you the one always asked to check the amount of sweetness or saltiness and sometimes you wondered if you could make money off of this? Most food companies hire taste testers. 3. Did growing up watching the Disney show “That’s So Raven” sometimes make you think you too can predict the future? Well companies such as Hershey’s Chocolates are now hiring futurists. 4. If all you ever wanted to do in life was travel and see the world, you could also get paid to do that as a travel journalist either on TV or with a magazine or a newspaper column, or start your own blog and get paid by sponsoring ads on it.

5. Did you dream of being alone on an island surrounded by beauty, nature, creating art with no mobile phone reception? Well then this is the best job in the world for you! Queensland Tourism paid a man to promote a tiny island as a tourist destination for two years, which lead to a spin-off TV programme.

///////////////////////////////////////////// These are just a few of the childhood dreams turned realities, there are many such dreams which in today’s world are not distant dreams, such as – The internet fed generation, Have Voice Will Sing, The pen is mightier than the sword.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// References https://blogs.cisco.com/news/innovation-turning-childhood-dreams-into-todays-reality/ www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090505006122/en/Scoop-Ultimate-Dream-Job-Ben-Jerry%E2%80%99s-Searches#. Uwj89fl_uAg www.tourism.australia.com/campaigns/Global-Youth-about-the-campaign.aspx www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547254/South-Korean-woman-known-The-Diva-makes-9-400-month-streaming-eatingonline-three-hours-day-manages-stay-chopstick-thin.html www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVboLJw9fcs www.amazon.com/How-Sold-Million-eBooks-Months-ebook/dp/B0056BMK6K http://disneychannel.disney.com/thats-so-raven

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INTERVIEWS

on whilst I was at university. During my three years I was a Nightline telephone volunteer, a mentor to an ex-offender on a probation order and was a part of Keele University’s Year Book Society. I also volunteered as a student campus guide and during the summer months at a Homeless Resources Project in my hometown. Each opportunity provided my with a range of skills and experience for my CV which helped in finding employment. Name: Wendy Morrissey Age: 23 Degree studied: Psychology & Criminology (BSc Hons) ////////////////////////////////////////////// Give us a brief history of your background. I graduated from Keele University in 2012 with a degree in Psychology & Criminology. The summer after graduation I volunteered and worked at events and festivals across the country to get some work experience whilst looking for a full time job. After a short period of unemployment I secured a part time position as a waitress, then a team administrator for a large financial services company. For the last six months I have worked with Academy Recruitment as a recruitment resources and administrator whilst volunteering in my spare time. Did you apply for any graduate schemes? No, the graduate schemes I came across were not suited to what I was looking for but I do think they could be valuable to many students. Did you do any volunteering whilst at university? Yes. I started volunteering at high school and wanted to carry

What careers advice did you seek whilst at university? During my second and third year I started to attend careers events put on by my university, for example CV writing tips, job applications and psychometric tests. I believe it is never too early to start attending such events, I wish I had started in my first year! How did you find job hunting post university? How long did it take you to find work? Extremely difficult, stressful and painfully frustrating but with determination I got there in the end! After graduating I registered with nine recruitment agencies within a 40 mile radius of my hometown and struggled to find a full time work for eight months (although I was luckily enough to have part-time work). It was a year and a half before I started a job I applied for and wanted. Have you done any unpaid internships? No. I do think they are valuable but not ideal for every young person particularly those that do not have parents/guardians that can support them financially. Are you employed now? Yes – happily employed as a recruitment resource and

administrator at Academy Recruitment. Could you tell us how your employer supports your employment? Academy Recruitment is a small educational recruitment business in Essex. They have supported my employment through in house and off-site training courses aimed at developing my skills and future career prospects. What advice would you give to people searching for employment? • Perseverance in the key – get up early, treat job hunting like a 9-5 get into a routine and sticking to it. • Put together a plan – what you want from your future career, what skills you currently have and what skills you need to develop to get go where you want to be. Come up with a plan on how you can improve your current skills and develop new ones to get to reach these goals. Whether this be finding a volunteering opportunity in line with your ideal job sector or looking at YouTube videos on how to develop key skills such as telephone sales calls. • Like many other people you may spend 10 hours a day applying for jobs, handing out your CV to prospective employers, registering with agencies with no or little comeback. I believe that everything positive you do will somewhere positively influence your future. Whether it be increasing your confidence to go and speak with prospective employers or getting extra practice writing job applications – nothing is a waste of time and effort! I am a firm believer that good things come to those who work hard and persevere!

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HINTS & TIPS

o part tw

ovica n o t n a a by baib

Last month Baiba told YEUK why you should clean up your online presence. This month read step by step why you should, and how to keep it clean. ////////////////////////////////////////////// Now you know why, here’s what to do... • Make the internet work for you; you are your own brand, post news articles and interesting facts that show where your interests lie. If you are aiming for a professional role brand yourself professionally, the key to this is to look at how brands perform. Big brands disown celebrities because of their

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behaviour; ask yourself what a future employer would see if they looked at your profile! • Although social media platforms allow us to distinguish professional networks from personal ones the line is blurred and a lot of people would not think twice to check both. Erase anything you would not like others to see! It might take time, but it is worth it. • Enhance your LinkedIn profile with relevant information about yourself, clear vision of who are you, what job you are looking for and what industry. Do not be afraid to make it too detailed. Remember, it is important to put keywords in. Once you’ve done this,

be sure to update your information regularly. • Don’t have an email address like ‘xx_iMightGoForThisReally lonGandPointless_xx@...’ – keep it short, professional and simple. Either it is ‘Name.Surname@...’ or ‘namesurname@...’ – it does not matter, just keep it tidy. Your email address at this point serves as a tool of professional impression. • Lastly, from personal experience, make a personal website/blog/space where you show your talents, interests, good qualities. The things you love to do might seem obvious to you or your friends, but let your future employers know about them too.



Recruitment

Raising Your Profile

We are reaching out to thousands of young people across the UK through our e-magazine, social media and membership. All of our members are promoted to our young supporters:

We are committed to supporting our members and ensuring they are a big part of our work. Our members get to:

. All young members can access our employer members database. . You can promote your recruitment pages through our members database and social media channels. . You can promote your events to our young supporters . You can attend our events and will be offered opportunities to present to our network of education ambassadors* . Expert support for your recruitment strategy and youth engagement programmes*

. Contribute editorial and case studies for our e-magazine. . Have your logo on our website and in our e-magazine. . Be seen on our members database. . Receive support through our social media channels. . Get involved in our events, competitions and lobbying work. . Work with a dedicated account manager * (*corporate members only)

(*corporate members only)

Information

CSR

All of our members get unlimited access to our online platform and information services:

As a not-for-profit we reinvest 100% of our membership income to developing the services and support for young people across the UK.

. Good Practice Documents . E-Bulletins . E-Magazine . Online Forum . Networking . Resources & Guides . Discounts for YEUK events

. You will be supporting our lobbying and campaigning work. . Sign up for the free national Youth Friendly badge and show your business supports our young generation. . All members have to sign the Positive Youth Charter which shows a deep commitment to youth engagement. . Simply with your support you are investing in a unique and progressive youth organisation.

Visit us online at: www.yeuk.org.uk Call: 08444 143 101 Email: info@yeuk.org.uk

YouthEmploymentUK Youth Employment UK C.I.C Group @yeuk @YEUK2012


YEUK

dir a u q d e by jun ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// I recently attended a BBC3 Free Speech event in Birmingham, the audience made up largely of young people was to debate the following topics;

C3 off air

BB 1. Taking

2. Youth u nemploym ent

ople 3. Are young pe ? ed disengag After an eventful evening of debating there was a real sense of frustration from the young people in the audience. The opportunity to attend gave me the chance to talk to a number of other young people to get an idea of how they are feeling about their own prospects and the prospects in general of young people in the UK. I spoke with lots of young people, who were passionate and ambitious yet really felt like they were becoming the “lost generation”, feeling that there were not enough opportunities for them, that they did not have a voice and people are unprepared to let them showcase their talents. Many of the attendants were 16 to 18-year-olds who were in the midst of sculpting their futures; • Zak Douglas, 17, is pursuing a career in performing arts, he isn’t going down the traditional

pathway of a university degree, his hopes are to go to stage school. The organisation that has been supporting him (which has been around for thirty years) is being shut down, leaving Zak in a really difficult situation! • A-level student Yasmeen Akhtar has aspirations to become a French teacher and is taking the traditional pathway to make her dreams come true. So to some extent, traditional pathways can work, but maybe not for us all. • Ollie McGrath, 17, a sixth form student who featured heavily on tonight’s program wishes to pursue a degree in business but feels there is no real careers advice out there. A very well informed young man who understands the state of the current economic climate is hoping a stint at university will aid him through to graduation by which time there are better job prospects, hmm, where have I heard that before? Ollie had the final say on the national curriculum and the UK education system. “The curriculum isn’t relevant to real life. It doesn’t teach skills relevant to work and frankly if employers expected young people to be work ready following graduating secondary school, then they would be wrong. It needs to include more career advice, more citizenship (taught by

////////////////////////////////////////////// teachers with expertise, not by any random teacher) and more political education.” The heart of all three topics covered one question tonight, the voice of young people and are we being heard? Taking BBC3 off air removes the platform for young people to showcase their talents and also removes their audience. The question of disengaged young people was only more frustrating when Baroness Susan Kramer suggested; • The only way to be heard and keep our beloved BBC3 is by increasing the price of the TV license. • Students should be expected to increase the number of qualifications they have at A-C grades to get into jobs. It really seemed like the Baroness had not heard any of the young people throughout the debate when she put forward these suggestions. That for me is exactly why we need to ensure that young people are given a platform and that we work together to get our voices heard.

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JUST FOR FUN

ames n e h t find can you d professions an of jobs uzzle? p e h t in hidden

R G D L T E C H N I C I A N B B U E D R N B R C Q R F T S I T N E D R X I E R E A T D C K E Z R O Y Z U K V U E D R E E W A X S C Z M X O V E C K L P T P A R S R R E G Q B P R V A I E V H D C E H C U E R A H I V M U N M A I E H H I I N E L A E L L B T Y P N R A E F E N M D G C C O R E K I E N X A R V R R P O E F O T R G T I R E K N A B A N A C U T E N N C K R E A Q P M F Z D E T L E I T M E Q E T M J V A J J I C O A R T I S T H G I E U E V U W M P R R E T I R W G A A Q N D C O O K T L A W Y E R U G N W Z W T Y R A T E R C E S N C D Q A J X I O Z R R E T H G I F E R I F M

ARTIST BANKER BUILDER CARPENTER CASHIER CLERK COOK DENTIST DOCTOR

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DRIVER ENGINEER FARMER FIREFIGHTER LABOURER LAWYER MANAGER MECHANIC NURSE

PAINTER PILOT SECRETARY TEACHER TECHNICIAN TOOLMAKER WAITER WRITER


what’s inside: • • • •

Constructing Britain! Getting Into Construction A-Z of Constructing Careers Interview with NLK Construction Ltd

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


The UK construction industry continues to be one of the country’s most important economic sectors – it contributes 8% of GDP and employs 2.47 million people across its supply chain*. The construction sector is not just about buildings, the sector has three sub-sector industries within it, and these are: (i) construction of buildings (ii) civil engineering (iii) specialised construction activities (iv) architectural and related The construction sector is vital to the UK economy, not only because it generates a key income and employment stream

but also because of its impact on our environment, the way we live and the role it has to play in reducing our carbon footprint through greener buildings. It is of course a sector that was heavily impacted during the recession – people do not build at times of economic uncertainty. Now that the recession is over and the economy is in recovery so too is the sector. Key facts for the construction sector as a whole**: • 92% of organisations in the construction sector employ less than 10 people. • 55% of the workforce is employed in manual occupations.

in summary The construction sector is vibrant and growing; there will be a lot of opportunity for new talent – with projects such as HS2, Highways Infrastructure, Flood Defences, and Investment in Renewable Energy all start to come alive in 2014 and beyond.

*Taken from CITB **Taken from National Careers Service

• 37% of the workforce is self-employed. • Much of the workforce is mobile. • More than 35% of people in the sector are their own boss running their own companies. • There is a skills shortage in the construction sector. According to the report by The Chartered Institute of Building on the skills shortage of the construction sector, there is a shortage of both trade and technical skills. The report also highlighted that with growth in renewable and remodelling areas, there will be a greater demand for managers and skilled staff in these areas.


In the December edition, we interviewed Matthew Hancock MP Skills Minister who expressed that employers, training providers and colleges are looking for C plus grades. Apprenticeships are now shaping up against A Levels and are great option to ‘Earn and Learn’. So if you know that a career in construction is something you are interested in you should focus on: • Maths • English • Science • IT or Design and Technology if you are considering a technical IT role. C plus grades in these three subjects will set you up for your post 16 options.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

While you are at school you may consider short courses that can be done through your local youth centre and volunteer centres: • Health and safety • First aid • Lifting and handling.

Apprenticeships start at any time of year – you can contact an employer directly and ask if they are taking anyone on, or if you don’t know of an employer you can contact the many apprenticeship providers in your area.

They go along way when you start out and can be gained from 14 plus. Pathways into construction trades: • Apprenticeships • Foundation • Higher • Advanced.

To find a training provider take a look through the Apprenticeship Guide, National Apprenticeship website or the CITB website (see the links on the back page of this pull-out). College may be another route – check out your local college,

go along to open events that are held near the end of each academic year, where you find out about fees, courses and qualifications. University degrees are the only route in for some of the roles within the sector, however as apprenticeships grow this might not always be the case. You can also go on to university after completing a level 3 apprenticeship, which is the equivalent to A Levels and you may even find your employer will sponsor your degree.


Here is a little snippet from the CITB website of the various careers available in the sector, for more information on these careers, entry and progression routes click here. Architectural Technician Architectural technicians provide architectural design services and solutions. Their role involves making sure building designs are practical and useable. They work closely with architects and form the link between the architect’s ideas and the completed construction. Starting salaries for a junior architectural technician typically start at between £15,000-£23,000.

Buyer Construction buyers are responsible for ensuring that the materials required for construction projects are provided to schedule and according to projected budgets. They have a vital part to play in helping ensure the profitability of contracts since they are responsible for ensuring that the most cost-effective and appropriate materials are purchased. Assistant buyers can earn £16,000 rising to £26,000 with more experience.

Bathroom Fitter Bathroom fitters install bathrooms in homes and businesses, including all fixtures and fittings such as shower units, sinks, toilets and storage cabinets. As a bathroom fitter you would use a range of hand and power tools. You would normally work alone or as part of a small team. You may need a qualified electrician, plumber or gas safe registered technician to complete parts of the job.

CNC Operator CNC operators often have a qualification in bench joinery or wood machining, enabling them to understand the tolerances and machining properties of different types of wood. CNC operators programme machinery for specialised wood cutting and shaping, and set and operate the machines. They have a knowledge of measuring techniques and experience in using CAD/CAM software. CNC operators are workshop or factory-based.

Starting salaries for bathroom fitters are typically between £13,500 and £16,000 a year.

Salaries post apprenticeship can range from £18,000-£40,000 for an experienced CNC operator.

///////////////////////////////////// N.B. Salaries are just a guide and will vary.

Demolition Topman A demolition topman is responsible for preparing sites for demolition. A topman strips out fittings, removes doors and windows, dismantles roof structures as well as cutting steel framework at heights, stripping off fragile roofs and instructing others in safe demolition practices. Starting salaries for trainees typically range start at £12,500 per year. Once qualified, this can increase to £13,000-£18,000. Experienced operatives can earn up to £25,000 a year. Facilities Manager Facilities managers make sure that buildings and their services meet the needs of their occupants. They manage services such as cleaning, catering, hospitality/customer services, security and parking. They also manage building maintenance such as heating and air conditioning systems. If you can develop good working relationships with a wide range of people and enjoy organising, this could be a great profession for you. Facilities managers can earn from £25,000 to £45,000 a year. Senior or regional facilities managers can earn £60,000 a year or more.


INTERVIEW

We interviewed our Youth Friendly employer NLK Construction Ltd who currently has three apprentices on the books. We asked Director Mark Norton about the industry and what he thinks about the skills gap.

///////////////////////////////////// Do you think there is an interest from young people in joining the trade? Overtime it seems less young people are interested in the building trade. Do you think there is a skills shortage? Yes, a lot of the younger generation now find it too hard to work in this sector, the hours can be long and the work is physically demanding which they don’t always seem ready for. How do you recruit young people into your business? My apprentices come to me via applications with CVs, I look to see what experience they have had and why they want to work in this sector.

What more can be done to recruit young people into the sector? When it comes to work and apprenticeships the CiTB should get more involved. There doesn’t seem to be much communication between them and our business. I have an apprentice who is dyslexic and he was too embarrassed to let me or the CiTB know. I feel they have let him down. He learns more on site.

NLK

Nort

(Construction) Ltd

4 Cherry Close ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Mickleover, Derby DE3 9DD Fax 01332 510141 Mobile 07973 291212 YEUK says: Let us know if this guide has been helpful and if you are 16-24 and working in the sector we would love you to share your stories on our youth platform to help inspire other young people.


training providers /////////////////////////////////////////////// Links to other resources of information, inspiration and opportunities: Apprenticeship Guide National Apprenticeship CITB National Careers Service CareersBox Future-Talent.Com Not Going To Uni

next month’s pull-out

spotlight on a sector:

ENGINEERING ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

:

dors

assa Amb

uth er Yo .uk e t n ine Volu euk.org agaz y @ m o f & n i g .uk tisin dver yeuk.org a h , t l u ria @ t Yo IC Edito t: emag ntac t UK C o n c uk e : en To org. cont rship . e k oym l b u p m 1 ye Em l me ww. 4 143 10 hoo w c : s t i & Vis ll: 0844 k ness a Busi uk.org.u or c e ljr@y



PERSONAL STORIES

sher fi n e b by

With the current economic climate of Young People Not In Education Employment or Training (NEET), still being at too high levels, and after almost two years myself as a NEET young person I decided to consider undertaking voluntary work. My very first opinion of this wasn’t positive “why should I work for free?” – but now I am working I’m really enjoying it. Even though I am still classified as NEET the good thing I can say about voluntary work is that you; • Gain confidence • Gain experience • Meet people and... • the most important thing is something to add to your CV (rather than having to explain gaps which employers can be wary of). I will just explain a little of my background. I did a BTEC Level 1 in Business Admin (I highly recommend this, if you want to work in that sort of area), then a Level 2 Media Course – I did this as I was unsure of what I want a career in, but as long as you put it on your CV – even if it isn’t relevant – employers don’t mind. In late 2013 I undertook a Skills Training Program, run through my local volunteer centre and upon completion I was offered office work within Slough Volunteer Centre. My main work involves a lot of customer service, data entry, talking with people and assisting the team. I think that these three skills and experiences are the most important to have when employers choose candidates.

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I would very much recommend voluntary work to young people as a way of getting into employment, and if you have not done Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, I would also highly recommend this to add to your CV. Many organisations offer a variety of voluntary work positions for a wide range of people. Some volunteering organisations also have connections with organisations that have employment opportunities for young people, so can help you progress from volunteering into employment. Now I am adding volunteering with YEUK to my CV!

////////////////////////////////////////////// YEUK says: As Ben says, volunteering is a great way to build up your work skills, but also to give something back to your community. Young people are really generous and community minded so volunteering is becoming more common place than with generations gone by. Check out organisations like Vinspired and NCVO the national volunteering organisation gives some great tips on how to become a volunteer, and make sure that you understand your rights as a volunteer. www.ncvo.org.uk/practicalsupport/volunteering/i-want-tovolunteer


YEUK

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is the professional body for the recruitment sector AND a supporter and member of YEUK. The ‘Report on Jobs’ is a monthly publication produced by Markit and sponsored by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and KPMG LLP. This is a summary of their February ‘Report on Jobs’. We would like to thank the REC for their support to YEUK and for allowing us to share this data: • Faster rise in permanent placements but growth of temporary staff recruitment eases. • Salaries for permanent staff increase at sharpest rate since October 2007. • Candidate availability declines at stronger pace. Commenting on the latest survey results, Bernard Brown, Partner and Head of Business Services at KPMG, said: “Working Britain appears to be suffering from a clash of confidence. With permanent appointments rising at the strongest rate for almost four years, employers appear determined to show they are secure enough to make longterm commitments. Candidates, on the other hand, are less certain, preferring to stay put than advance their careers in a new environment.”

Which sector recruited the highest number of permanent staff?

Which sector recruited the highest number of temporary staff?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Engineering Construction Nursing/Medical/Care Accounting/Financial IT & Computing Executive/Professional Secretarial/Clerical Hotel & Catering Blue Collar

Nursing/Medical/Care Blue Collar Secretarial/Clerical Hotel & Catering Engineering IT & Computing Construction Accounting/Financial Executive/Professional

//////////////////////////////////////////// What skills are in demand or in short supply? Accountancy/Financial: Accountants, Audit, Credit control, Finance, Tax. Blue Collar: Unskilled workers. Construction: Builders, General construction, Surveyors. Engineering: Automotive, CAD, Electronics, General engineering, Mechanical design. Executive/Professional: Business analysts, HR, Marketing, Operations, Risk management, Sales managers, Senior management. IT/Computing: C#, Digital marketing, E-commerce, General IT, Java, PHP, SEO. Other: Graduates, Languages, Sales.

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doors n e p o ip can h s er – e e r c i a t c n r e r or you f an app e r you... u r t o u f f t h t h g ght pa i r to a bri e h t if it’s t u o d n fi

60%

of employers value apprentices’ skills over those of graduates

Step 1 – What is an apprenticeship?

A mix of learning on the job and studying.

A fair deal – get paid while you’re getting work experience.

Recognised – you’ll get a qualification that employers respect.

A commitment – it’ll take 1-4 years to complete.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

Step 2 – Is it right for you?

1 in 5*

employers have former apprentices working in senior management positions.

Is it a good route into the career you want?

*Statistics from Skills Economy research (2011)

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Do you want to continue learning and developing skills?

Are you keen to get into the world of work and have a real job?


//////

HINTS & TIPS

Step 3 – How to apply

Find vacancies through the National Apprenticeship Service.

Ask your local college or learning provider for help.

Apply directly through company websites.

Visit www.plotr.co.uk for advice on how to put in a good application.

Step 4 – As an apprentice you’ll gain...

89%

of employers said if they were starting out now, they’d opt to do an apprenticeship

Work experience.

Professional skills.

Money – you’ll earn as you learn.

Step 5 – After your apprenticeship

Apply for a job with your current employer.

Get a job elsewhere with your qualifications and experience.

A respected qualification.

Confidence in yourself and your skills.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////

Progress onto a higher apprenticeship or degree course.

Use your skills and confidence to help you climb the career ladder.

www.cityandguilds.com/apprenticeships

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INTERVIEWS

This month we spoke to Francesca an apprentice at Person HR one of our brilliant Youth Friendly Badge holders!…

I didn’t really enjoy school as I felt I was being treated as a child and I didn’t know any better this lead to me getting into confrontation with the teachers. During year ten I spent my work experience fortnight at Persona HR, they offered me a temporary job when I left school and I worked there throughout the summer until the September when I enrolled in college. Unfortunately college did not suit me either as I already disliked school I found it was basically the same thing without school uniform! I disliked that I was no longer earning money and not being treated like an adult as I had been at Persona HR. College was too far to get to every morning which was one of the main things that demotivated me. Two weeks after enrolling, I left college and literally didn’t know what to do with myself! Luckily, I got in touch with Krista (MD @ Persona HR) who offered me a job and the chance to start again and I have never looked back since! I knew that I still had to get qualifications under my belt, so Krista introduced me to an apprenticeship. What could be better then earning whilst I’m learning! Luckily I was already in a job which offered apprenticeships so there was no waiting list or interview required. I attend college once every two

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weeks for two hours where I go over the upcoming coursework with my tutor or do online tests. My position in work is the Branch Manager/PA to MD, I take care of all the admin around the office; oversee candidate’s paperwork, client liaison and stationery orders. I love my job and the people I work with. I am the PA to my MD which means I get to shadow in meetings. This has taught me a lot! From to how to benefit a company and how to work together with other businesses, whenever I have questions about coursework, Krista is always willing to sit down and help me. My tutor is also very good to me, very supportive and will always go that extra mile. I love being an apprentice. As I have already completed my L2 in Business Admin and I am now on my L3 in Management, I am looking to take it a step further and take on a L4 in Marketing which is equivalent to having a degree. Personally, I think whoever created apprenticeships is a genius! I definitely think they are the way forward! Giving young people the chance to gain experience whilst learning and earning couldn’t be any better in my eyes. Most young people who leave college/university still find it hard to get a job as most employers request experience.


HINTS & TIPS

Revolution Hive exists to prepare young people to be better motivated and able to become social reformers. People, who understand themselves and society so that they can create their own movements of positive social transformation. We provide two services for civic and personal development of young people – namely education workshops and coaching.

/////////////////////////////////////// • Coaching supports young people in self-leadership, decision making and problem solving. Similar to mentoring but different in that coaches do not give advice and encourage self-reliance by asking questions and helping the coachee’s to draw answers out from within. This is effective for raising performance, results and making decisions during key transitions. • Our workshops cover civic development and critical thinking skills getting young people to look at three issues as a way of developing and understanding the importance of these skills – ‘Influence Of Mass Media’, ‘Everyday Sexism’ & ‘Behind the Brands’.

/////////////////////////////////////// For further information please visit www.revolutionhive.com


HINTS & TIPS

ovica n o t n a a by baib

With the technological age ruling, many employers are looking to recruit and hire those who stand out in a crowd of a thousand. Are you getting frustrated or feeling down because of the countless employers giving you the same “unfortunately we will not take your application further at this stage” response? I know I am. Recently I applied for a role that demanded me to make a creative, short video cover letter explaining who I am, what I do and why I think I would be suitable for the role. And now I suggest changing the rules of the game with a video cover letter that allows you to showcase your personality, enthusiasm and communication skills. A video cover letter is especially effective when applying to communication and creative roles, but it should not be limited to that. Here is my experience with it and suggestions to take in account: • Choose a good spot to shoot your video. Do not go for the extremely colourful or too bright/dark places. Best choosing a light one tone background with a decent lighting. • Write your ‘speech’ and learn it, highlight strengths and good qualities first. Talk about

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your education and include what type of position you are looking for. Don’t forget to add some key words about your work ethic and personality. Do not read your cover letter! That gives an impression that you are not confident or sure why you are applying. • Pay attention to your smile and tone of voice. The employer seeing your video will first see your appearance and then hear your words. So if you come across as sad, boring and uninterested by looks and/ or voice, the employer will not care if you have a brilliant résumé. Treat your video cover letter as an interview. • Have fun and point out the qualities that make you different. A video cover letter is supposed to be creative; it is supposed to make you stand out from the crowd. But in comparison with the written cover letter, you have the opportunity to show emotion, and personalise it on a different level. • If allowed – edit the video. It will make your product look better and will accordingly ‘sell’ you better. Put important things like contact information in writing during your video or at the end of it.

• Publish your video – send in your video application and at the same time upload it to YouTube, LinkedIn, etc. to raise your opportunities of getting noticed. • Camera shy? I was too, but after you film the content several times it becomes easier. Just imagine you are talking to a friend or have a friend record you. Obviously, if it is still a problem, there is an alternative – create a creative video with the help of animation or ready templates online and narrate. Still not convinced that video cover letters are important to have and publish? Here are some stats from YouTube: • More than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month • Over 6 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube – that’s almost an hour for every person on Earth. • YouTube is available on hundreds of millions of devices. ////////////////////////////////////////////// Countless possibilities of getting noticed, so get creative and make your video cover letter today!


Youth Employment UK CIC Youth Friendly Badge (CC) The Youth Friendly Badge (CC) celebrates and recognises your commitment to young people in the UK. It is a public demonstration of your pledge to be a “Youth Friendly” business. In the UK nearly 1 in 5 young people are unemployed; youth unemployment is a growing social, economic and moral problem with a cost to every member of society, but above all, to a young person, somewhere near you. Already thousands of businesses in the UK support young people by attending careers fairs, providing work experience opportunities and taking on young people through apprenticeships, internships, graduate or entry level roles. We know that there is still more to be done and so we want all UK employers to apply for the free Youth Friendly Badge (CC), demonstrating to their communities, to young people, to future employees and to their customers that they are invested in supporting youth employment. There are just 3 simple steps to receiving the Youth Friendly Badge (CC). There is no charge and no financial obligation. You just need to be prepared to invest in supporting young people. Not only will you benefit from the recognition the badge brings to you, but your organisation will also benefit by its investment in its future workforce and future customers.

What are the Steps? 1. The Positive Youth Charter is

Step 1

• Sign the Positive Youth Charter

• Commit to at least 2 activities from the "Youth Friendly" Menu Step 2

an agreement signed by employers, young people & training providers. It creates a common language and commitment by all of those working to fight youth unemployment.

• Self-Assess "Youth Friendly" behaviour

2. The Youth Friendly Menu lists all the great activities that employers can support young people and schools with. Talks, Site Visits, Work Experience, Mentoring, the list is endless and we can also help connect you with organisations that support employers to do these things.

Step 3

3. Finally to receive the certificate you must check your current business behaviours against our 8 Youth Friendly ones to see how your organisation supports young people within its operation. Meet 6+ of the criteria and you will receive a certificate for your organisation.

For more information please visit www.yeuk.org.uk Youth Employment UK CIC is a not for profit campaigning and membership organisation dedicated to fighting youth unemployment. We are wholly committed to making the UK the most “Youth Friendly” place to work. The Youth Friendly Badge (CC) is created under a Creative Commons license, for more details visit www.yeuk.org.uk


HINTS & TIPS

ollege? c , y t i s r e nt, univ t know, e m y o l p ips, em nd if you do no h s e c i t appren r you? a p? o f t x e n l o for he what is g ////////////////////////////////////// u o y n a c e r e wh CAREERS INFORMATION & SUPPORT The National Careers Service is the government’s portal for all things careers and advice – you can connect with them online or talk to an advisor over the phone. You can browse over 750 different career profiles, check your skills, build a CV and much more. 0800 100 900 https://nationalcareersservice.direct. gov.uk/aboutus/contactus/Pages/ contact4.aspx

Youth Employment UK – you can of course join our social media pages Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest where we promote latest news, views, advice and opportunities. Be sure to also register to be a Youth Member or Youth Ambassador – you will then get access to a load more resources and information. www.yeuk.org.uk

We have some BRILLIANT member organisations who offer support to young people, so along with the main government sites we are happy to encourage you to look at these too!; Employability Hub https://dash.bloomfire.com

Colour Your Success www.colouryoursuccess.com/Your Career Mentor

Bright Track www.brighttrack.co.uk

Persona HR

We also like Careers Box – a website packed with videos showing you the range of careers and opportunities on offer, and Careers Advice for Parents and Young People which covers all the bases in simple bite-sized articles.

Accross College

www.careersbox.co.uk www.careersadviceforparents.org

ENTERPRISE

APPRENTICESHIPS The obvious starting point is the National Apprenticeship Service you can find out more about apprenticeships, funding and search for vacancies and training providers near you. www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Also, there our members websites; The Apprenticeship Guide www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk

Baltic Training www.balticapprenticeships.com

ApprenticeSupermarket www.apprenticesupermarket.com

Apprenticeship4England www.apprenticeships4england.info

Joint Learning

NCC Resources www.ncctrainingresources.co.uk

www.princes-trust.org.uk

Or our friends; Rock Star Youth www.rockstaryouth.co.uk

Young Britain www.youngbritain.com

EMPLOYMENT There are job search websites that also advertise vacancies from apprenticeships to internships and graduate employment. Try; Universal Jobmatch www.gov.uk/jobsearch

Or our friends; Future Talent www.future-talent.com

Rate my Apprenticeship

Care Training

www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk

www.ctem.uk.com

EDUCATION You can search for thousands of college or universities through the UCAS and Unistats websites. http://search.ucas.com http://unistats.direct.gov.uk

www.aspira-consulting.com

www.petroc.ac.uk

A.C.E. MAGAZINE

www.tresham.ac.uk

www.jointlearning.co.uk

Also our education members; Petroc College

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Tresham College

Take a look at Princes Trust.

Aspira Consulting

www.personahr.co.uk

www.accross.ac.uk

Our list is not exhaustive and there are a lot of resources, guides and services for young people. If you have not been able to get help from this list, let us know and we will put you in contact with a specific organisation. Or if you have been helped by an organisation not listed, let us know and we will signpost to them too! emag@yeuk.org.uk


YEUK

16-24’ on n opinion a e v a h u Do yo ent? employm n u th u o y t

rnmen ink gove h t u o y Do ? enough is doing

Perhaps yo u think bu siness should do more or ev en young peo ple?

Do you think young people need to be listened to?

be able to Do you want to t brilliant access simple ye ion? careers informat Would you like to talk to other young pe ople, sharing their youth empl oyment experiences, tips and ideas? to enter Would you like d be in with competitions an cool prizes? a chance to win Would you like to know which employer s in the UK are Youth Fr iendly?

Then it’s time for you to join the free YEUK club and be part of the only organisation dedicated to stamping out youth unemployment with you and for you! Sign up today and access our great youth platform, get involved and get being part of the solution! Schools, colleges, youth organisations: this is a great tool to signpost your young people to, it will ensure they have access to impartial advice and are supported along their journey into employment! www.yeuk.org.uk/young-people

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HINTS & TIPS

av by kesh

Graduation might seem like a while away but the questions it poses are already looming on people’s minds. I was definitely one of those students who didn’t really have a clear idea on what to do after graduating. It seems quite far away at this time of the year and it’s really difficult to pin down. Fortunately throughout my university (and school) life I was always doing SOMETHING ‘extra-curricular’. This is my main message to anyone who has this question. BE ACTIVE. Every single summer, if you’re not in your final university years yet, you should always be volunteering or gaining experience. You don’t need me to tell you that it’s difficult out there. Some jobs have an average of 60 applicants per post. You need to stand out.

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There’s plenty of resources out there you can use. For example like www.vinspired.com. You put your postcode in and bam, a load of volunteer opportunities come up close to you. How easy is that? Anyway, have a think about things you wouldn’t mind doing or would like to do. Then go out, explore and try them. I had a coaching session just yesterday with a young lady who is about to finish her diplomas and has no idea what to do. And if that’s you, that’s okay. But to her advantage she has been volunteering and working with young people since she was 13. Nothing complex, but every time she sees something cool that sounds interesting, she puts her name down and shows up. Now she has the advantage of being able to show all the skills, experience and contacts she has developed over those 10 years in whatever she does.

People often say do what you love and are passionate about but what if you don’t know what that is. My answer is – you don’t just suddenly become passionate about something. Your interest grows into commitment which grows into passion. So don’t worry about that if you’re not sure. Start with what interests you. Explore all those interests, try them out and you’ll see which ones are ok, really good and pretty interesting. Then as you do more of those things your interest will blossom into passion. Make sense? ///////////////////////////////////////////// If you’d like some help figuring out what to do after graduation, I’d love to help you. Book a free coaching session with me here: www.revolutionhive.com/youthcoaching


YEUK

ent m y o l p em h t u o y . A.C.E zine a g a m news e • Published monthly • Distributed nationwide • Subscribers/readers >36,233 (March 2014)

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ARTWORK SPECIFICATION ACCEPTED: InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop files. High resolution PDF, PNG and TIF files with all fonts embedded. (Artwork in Microsoft Word NOT ACCEPTED).

The A.C.E. e-magazine is a free online publication that is subscribed to by a wide audience including: universities, FE colleges, schools, UK employers, training providers, Job Centre Plus and young people.

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(price per issue)

Display advertising includes a promotion on our Facebook & Twitter pages.

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special sector pull-out advertising

All images must be to scale, at minimum 300dpi in EPS or TIF format. All fonts must be supplied.

Starting in April, each ACE e-mag will have a six page pull-out dedicated to careers in one sector. The careers information will also be published on the YEUK youth members platform.

Copy deadlines: • 20th April • 20th May • 20th June • 20th July

April

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To make enquiries or book your advert: Email emag@yeuk.org.uk Call 0844 4143101

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Inspire2Exceed InspireEducation – Raising Aspirations & Employability Skills

Careers Education Programmes InspireEducation has developed 6 programmes that aim to motivate students about the world of work and teach them the skills they need to manage their own careers independently. All of our programmes are mapped to the principles of Statutory Impartial Advice and Guidance and the recommendations of the Matrix Standard. Furthermore of all our trainers are CRB checked and undergo regular CPD to support their development and expertise.

Why Choose InspireEducation? Our programmes have proven to meet these objectives:

Workshops Charged At

£5 Per Student

• To achieve academic excellence. • Motivating C/D students to achieve C+ results. • To reduce the number of NEET. • Inspire students to independently manage their futures. • Deliver excellent quality Impartial Advice and Guidance. We can work in support of your existing IAG provision or support your organisation in the absence of one.

Range Of Careers Education InspireEducation has an expertise in all things work related learning. We can offer bespoke programmes to suit the needs of individual education organisations. We can offer the following types of events and ensure that their cost and learning outcomes meet your personalised needs: • Careers Fairs • Work Related Learning Events • Impartial Advice and Guidance Programmes • Enterprise Days All of our programmes meet the highest standards that you will come to expect when working with InspireEducation. Inspirational Careers and Employability Specialists Careers Workshops – Next Steps, Employable Me, CV Writing, Interview Preparation Personal Development Programmes – Goal Setting, Motivation and Aspiration, Employability Skills Enterprise Events . Work Related Learning Days . FREE Careers Resources for Schools CE/IAG CPD Events . Employability Award for Schools

Call us on 01536 745 377 . Email us at info@i2e-education.co.uk Find us online at www.i2e-education.co.uk

Inspire Education 28 Buttercup Close, Oakley Vale, Corby, Northamptonshire NN18 8LB


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