Employment Studies 2015

Employment Studies works alongside Gateway and Star Courses to best meet the needs of the students. For many students they have “no-idea” what they want to do when they leave school and so this course is set up as a taster for many in the trades and really whatever they want to try out. We had students who started the year very unsure of entering the workforce and lacking in confidence. After a few weeks of planning careers and goal setting they now had more of an idea what their “possible idea” would entail. There was now a set of goals and targets to aim for if they wanted that career to become a reality.

Students also looked through the year at their personal attributes and talents. Curriculum Vitae and resumes were developed and placed with a business correspondence term of work consisting of letters of application, complaint and requests for information. The year ends with health and safety courses and interview techniques programmes. At the time students are vague as to the relevance of many things they take part in with Employment Studies but the reality is that these young men were set up with a strong tool-kit of resources to leave school and secure the job they are after.

Students have been successful in farming technologies, house and car painting, building and carpentry, and also many retail situations. Some are returning to school in 2016 but many are using this year as a stepping stone to other courses leading to apprenticeships. Employment was secured in the farming arena, car spray painting, building and retail. It was a pleasure to work with these young men and see their confidence grow and hear their stories about work experience and the “reality” of the workplace once they secured a job. For many it was a dream to imagine that school was five days a week starting at 8.30 … and now they are up at 6 for a 6.30am start and loving it.

Brendan Biggs