This is one of a regular series of articles as the Welsh Government seeks to expand and broaden the use of LMI across Wales.
Research tells us that too many young people have skills and qualifications that don’t match what employers are looking for and that employers do not communicate clearly enough the opportunities available in the workplace.
But does a gap really exist between the classroom and the world of work?
The ‘Real Conversation’ event provided a forum for business leaders and young people, together with their teachers and careers advisors, to discuss and debate these issues and identify the similarities and differences in their perceptions.
This highly interactive event, the second in the current series, focused on the skills needed to gain employment and on the sources of careers advice and information.
In the area of skills, there was strong agreement that ‘reading’, ‘use of IT’ and ‘qualifications’ are the most important ‘hard’ skills in the working environment. The audience also agreed that ‘positive attitude and motivation’ and ‘communication skills’ are the most important ‘soft’ skills required.
Whilst participants recognised that all skills have their value, a number of young people felt that some skills, particularly communication skills, are not always taught in school. They also wanted to know how to find out which skills employers are looking for.
In discussions around sources of careers advice and information, the young people voted overwhelmingly for ‘careers advisors or job centres’ as their first ‘official’ port of call, with ‘the internet’ highlighted as the first place they would go for ‘unofficial’ information and advice.
Family and friends remain a strong influence on career choice, and whilst the internet is widely used by young people to find out information, many young people would subsequently turn to more ‘official’ sources for actual guidance. Feedback showed that young people prefer face-to-face advice and would value opportunities to meet with employers to understand jobs in more detail.
Young people attending the event felt that the opportunity to talk face-to-face with employers was very useful. They said “Talking to employers was very beneficial.” and “It enables us as students to recognise what employers are expecting of us and vice versa.”
When it comes to finding a job, the internet was polled as the first source for young people. This was in direct contrast to the fact that most employers still favour newspapers for recruitment advertising. Interestingly however, where online application processes are used, young people said these can be a barrier as there is often a need to input ‘exactly what the company is looking for’. Both employers and young people agreed that networking and ‘who you know’ play a significant part in finding a job.
Employers at the event acknowledged that they could perhaps be more transparent about the opportunities available in their companies and could also consider altering their recruitment processes. Young people identified a need for advice on how to improve their CVs and how to demonstrate ‘transferable competencies’, as well as a need for advice on how to complete job applications.
One of the employers attending the event said, “This has been very informative. It has woken me up to our social responsibility as employers.”
The current economy, the ‘availability of jobs’ and the substantial time it takes to find a job, were key areas of concern for the young people in the audience. Travel was highlighted as a potential barrier to employment for some.
In terms of career progression and wages, young people cited job satisfaction as being more important than salary. Feedback also indicated that ongoing skills development is recognised as being important for career progression. Employers highlighted some concerns about their ability to keep staff from moving on after they had invested in developing their skills. Discussions focused on the retention packages offered by some employers to manage this risk.
The event was seen by both young people and employers as an ideal way to bring them together, highlighting the similarities and differences between them. One employer commented “This is a great opportunity for young people and adults to discuss these issues openly.” This was echoed by one young person present who said, “The communication between employers and students was really good and very useful.”
Both employers and young people agreed that events such as this are very useful and help to narrow the gap between the classroom and the world of work. In particular, more could be done with regard to soft skills and awareness of career opportunities, whilst support for students to clarify their personal objectives and aspirations would also be of benefit.
If you have any comments about the sorts of LMI you value in your work and how LMI has been of benefit to you, we’d like to hear from you. For this and further information about the LMI project contact Rachel Stephens, Senior Skills Policy Manager at the Welsh Government at rachel.stephens2@wales.gsi.gov.uk.
