The pre-apprenticeship training programme aims to tackle the issue of youth unemployment through a highly dynamic partnership programme with a local employer providing expertise, equipment and hands on experience for young people.

It supports professional reflections around the Career Education and Work Placements Standards as well as School / Employer Partnerships.

How to use this exemplar

This is an exemplar of interesting practice. It aims to inspire reflective thinking by practitioners engaged in career education and the provision of work placements for children and young people aged from 3-18. It focuses on practical career education components in the senior phase delivered in partnership with employers and third sector organisations across the local authority.

This exemplar is solution focused, and outlines practical ideas on how to build partnerships with employers. It describes design pathways that provide learners with the opportunity to enhance skills for learning, life and work, and to gain relevant qualifications and meaningful experiences of the world of work.

You are invited to use this exemplar to reflect on the following questions:

• How effectively do you plan for career education opportunities and progression pathways for learners, particularly in the senior phase?
• In what ways do you ensure that you meet the needs of all learners to develop skills for learning life and work?
• In what ways does the curriculum provision and timetabling in your establishment incorporate career education for all learners?
• To what extend are partners involved in delivering meaningful, work related experiences for learners, the delivery of skills and qualifications as well as prospective career opportunities?

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What was done?

Learners at Govan High School are given a unique opportunity to develop vital employability skills through a pre-apprenticeship training programme inspired by Peter Crawford, volunteer ‘Skills for Life’ development officer at Morris & Spottiswood. The initiative aims to tackle the issue of youth unemployment which led to the establishment of a highly dynamic partnership programme with the local company providing expertise, equipment and hands on experience for young people considering an apprenticeship as a career pathway.

See 3 videos looking at the project from different perspectives.

Why?

The pre-apprenticeship programme is an employer-led initiative that provides senior phase pupils with work-based learning opportunities in order to enhance their skills for learning, life and work.

What was the impact?

This programme provides learners in the senior phase with an enhanced offer to develop vital work-related skills and experiences. All participants in the programme so far have gone on to positive and sustained destinations.

The pre-apprentice course added significant value to young peoples’ learning experiences by providing additional qualifications, enhancing personal profiles and establishing links with employers. It also supports learners with additional needs in exploring vocational alongside academic pathways.

In addition the initiative encourages social commitment and action through peer education elements as well as community action, for example, the support of local housing association.

Videos

Downloads

PDF file: Pre-apprenticeship programme (1.3 MB)