Youth Employment Action Group. Summary Report of Findings & Recommendations

Transcription

1 2014 Youth Employment Action Group Summary Report of Findings & Recommendations

2 Foreword I am delighted with these recommendations and commend the group for their contribution to this work. The Glasgow Employer Board recognises the importance of working to improve youth employment outcomes for the city and the work of this action group proves the valued contribution employers can make to the agenda. Over the past 14 months the group has drawn from their own experience, listened to key stakeholders, including young people and visited some of the employability provision in the city. They have delivered not only the following recommendations, but were also instrumental in developing a new way forward for the schools and business partnership; contributing to the anticipated Wood Commission and testing and running programmes aimed at young people within their own organisations. This is only the beginning of the process and the Glasgow Employer Board looks forward to working with the city s partners to realise the potential of all our young people. Patricia Rainey Chair - Glasgow Employer Board 2

3 Youth Employment in Glasgow the facts of the matter» The unemployment rate for young people is higher than for any other age group. Claimant youth unemployment (16-24) in Glasgow increased from 3,585 in November 2007 to 6,710 in April The April 2012 rate of 8.1%, was above both the Scottish (6.7%) and UK figures (6.3%).» The numbers of young people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more doubled between 2010 and In addition, despite significant recent progress, Glasgow continues to have a disproportionate number of young people who leave school with no positive destination, approximately 11%. David Scott Arnold Clark What has been most obvious to me over the period of this Action Group has been the constant improvement in the mechanisms by which larger organisations are able to engage with both local and national Government.» A recent study by Oxford Economics estimated that the total number of jobs in the city is not expected to regain its 2008 peak in the short to medium term and that furthermore the shortfall in demand could be as high as 10,000 jobs per year.» The Scottish Government estimates the lifetime cost of a single cohort of young people failing to make the transition into regular employment to be in the region of 2 billion.» Based on figures from the 2011 ACEVO Commission on Youth Unemployment, it is estimated that Glasgow spends 69m per annum in benefits paid out and incomes lost to key claimant groups under 25 (spring 2011 data).» Excluding DWP and other national budgets, the City Council estimates that Glasgow currently spends circa 54m each year on supporting youth employability. Ryan James Two Fat Ladies Youth employment and engagement is key to a developing business in creating a sustainable and visceral workforce with layers of foundations to create both a legacy for the company and a solid base for future growth. 3

4 Introduction The Glasgow Youth Employment Advisory Group (YEAG) has produced the following recommendations to support an increase in the number of young Glaswegians accessing and sustaining employment and to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of Glasgow s business sector. The YEAG was established and commissioned by the Glasgow Employer Board in conjunction with Glasgow City Council and with support from Skills Development Scotland in December 2012, to gather evidence and present recommendations from an employer s perspective on new strategies for increasing opportunities for youth employment within the city. The YEAG membership was drawn from representatives of the Glasgow Employer Board and was co-ordinated and facilitated by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce with additional support provided by Glasgow City Council. The group was comprised of senior HR professionals, Organisation and Development Leaders and Managing Directors. Identifying their work priorities at the outset, the group met on a 6 weekly basis between December 2012 and February 2014, with each meeting designed to focus on a specific theme relevant to the challenges of increasing youth employment. The group considered issues relating to the folowing themes:» International, national and local economic and employer demands» School and transition based support services and the interface between schools and business» Careers information, advice and guidance» Culture and attitude within young people, employers and providers» The role of employers in supporting preemployment training and providing in-work support» Identifying and addressing skills gaps» Qualifications frameworks and de-cluttering the landscape 4

5 In considering these issues the group engaged directly with, and gathered evidence from, a variety of sources including young people, public and third sector providers of youth employment services and academic sources. The group was supported by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Glasgow City Council who provided contextual guidance on wider youth employment work at local and national levels. During the course of their work the group made an interim report to the Glasgow Employer Board and provided feedback to the Commission on Scotland s Future Workforce, chaired by Sir Ian Wood. These recommendations are designed to make a contribution to the wider discussion on youth employment in Glasgow. The group is mindful of the existing structures which impact on this topic including national and local government; Glasgow Economic Leadership, Glasgow Enterprise Board, Glasgow Employer Board, Glasgow Youth Employment Partnership and the range of services aimed at supporting young people. Lyndsay Lauder NHS GGC NHSGGC is committed to helping young people access work experience, training & jobs. The impact of long term unemployment on health is well documented and we as an employer work hard to link our health improvement work to our recruitment strategies. Youth employment is key to our workforce plan to ensure that we can deliver the health service that is needed now, and in the future. About the recommendations From the outset, the group has taken a broad approach to the term youth employment. Unconstrained by the often differing parameters set by policy makers, the work of the group considers youth employment as impacting on those in school, further and higher education, those recently leaving the education system, those seeking employment and those who are currently under employed. The group was mindful of the difference within these groups and where they felt it was necessary, the recommendations reflect the need for different responses. Paul Campbell Scottish Water Scottish Water is proud to be involved in a number of initiatives aimed at supporting youth employment. Being part of this group has enabled us to bring our knowledge and experience to the table and contribute to a range of recommendations which I believe will have a positive impact on Glasgow and beyond 5

6 Recommendations Provision of youth employment services Recommendation 1 Programmes of support which stimulate job opportunities are essential to address youth employment at a macroeconomic level. The funding aimed at reducing youth employment should reflect this and be redistributed where appropriate. Early in their work the group heard from Glasgow University s TERU on the macroeconomic issues affecting youth employment and projected employment growth in Glasgow as a whole. There was a strong sense that a better balance could be attained and stimulating demand while supporting supply could be achieved if the former was seen as a legitimate strategy in improving youth employment. Recommendation 2 A single point of information for employers looking to recruit young people in Glasgow should be developed to identify the various ways in which employers can be supported to train, recruit and retain young people within their business. The group recognised that some headway had been made to improve communication of information from providers of youth employment services to employers. However, the continued introduction of new programmes and initiatives means that it is hard to keep informed of changes and developments. In addition, employers are often seeking advice as much as information and current provision does not reflect this. Education and business Recommendation 3 Glasgow City Council Education Services should continue its work with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and businesses to establish a business endorsed framework for business involvement in schools. This framework should support schools and businesses to: a. establish a network of business support partners and, at least one central business sponsor for each of the 29 secondary schools across the city. b. embed both employability and sector-skills based learning within the school curriculum from Primary to post school and in particular create major new opportunities for specialist employment focused learning from S4-S6 i.e. early access to NC / HNC and other industry recognised and developed courses. c. develop innovative and pilot models of extended work-based learning to be delivered between colleges, schools and businesses, particularly from S4-S6, feeding directly into apprenticeships. Beyond Glasgow this should involve a wider partnership with Sector Skills Councils and the Scottish Qualifications Authority for a wider role out. 6

7 School-based education was a recurring theme within the groups discussion. The group heard evidence from Glasgow City Council s Education Department, visited Govan High School and participated in a 200 strong Schools and Business Summit. The entire group had experience of engaging with schools through their current organisation and there was a strong sense that while there were examples of good work, that relationships could be strengthened and that a framework would provide a clear structure for both schools and businesses. Within the group there was intense discussion about the extension of work-based learning into the school programme. Some members of the group remain cautious about this recommendation and highlighted the need to strike a balance which ensures that work based learning serves to enhance school based learning and not overshadow it. Recommendation 4 Sector-specific Centres of Excellence should be created in schools across the city, focused on forecasted economic and employment growth areas. Centres of Excellence would provide in-depth sectorbased learning to complement subject learning delivered in schools and would involve colleges, universities and business in creating advanced sector based qualifications and experiences. There is strong support from the group for identified Knowledge Centres of Excellence across the city. The idea that there will be an identified lead across the schools network for businesses to engage with at a sector specific level supports a number of the recommendations from the group. This recommendation complements the group s other proposals in relation to work-based learning, work experience, business participation and more broadly, improved integration of businesses needs with educational partners and structures. Recommendation 5 A hybrid model of traditional further and higher education and work-based learning should be developed to establish proof of concept. Expanding on the schools discussion, the group heard from Damien Yates, Chief Executive of Skills Development Scotland and also heard input from City of Glasgow College about developments within the further and higher education system to create a stronger work-based learning approach. The model is well established in Switzerland and has been tested in England. The group would support trialling a number of similar models across different sectors. 7

8 Work preparation Recommendation 6 A city-wide strategy for increasing the effectiveness, flexibility and scope of paid and un-paid work experience (including internships) across schools, colleges, universities and training providers should be developed by the public, private and third sector partners. The group heard from a number of young people who were engaged with a variety of services in the city. Some were young graduates, others were looking for their first job post school and some were interested in starting their own business. The group was struck by the fact that all the young people mentioned work experience as important. Combined with their own experience, the group felt strongly that access to work experience required better co-ordination and that time and resources needed to be spent to make the system in Glasgow more efficient to achieve the best outcomes. Recommendation 7 A high profile mentoring scheme should be developed across business and the public sector to create a bank of employer mentors. This approach should be co-ordinated by one key stakeholder and ambitious but achievable targets should be set. The scheme should be designed to include the use of technology and social media for maximum impact. Linked to recommendation 6 this recommendation specifically covers the role of mentors. As with a number of the recommendations, there were strong views that relevant and measureable targets would be required to drive this work forward. Recommendation 8 Specific targets should be set to increase the number of SMEs and micro-businesses engaged with the outcomes of recommendations 6 and 7. A bank of employers should be grown over time to support work experience, mentoring and enterprise skills from the small business community. While the group was mostly made up of larger employers, there was representation from SMEs and a number of members of the group spoke with their supply chain on the subject. There was a strong sense that large employers are easier to engage and therefore programmes are often designed around this. A call to action which provides businesses with a clear ask and co-ordinated approach is strongly supported by the group. 8

9 Jobs and Enterprise Recommendation 9 There should be increased collaboration between the public sector, Sector-Skills Councils, Scottish Qualification Authority and individual or consortiums of sector specific businesses to develop key competencies for relevant sector related training. There persists within the city an element of disjointedness between the skills courses and vocational qualifications available to young people and the skills requirements of businesses. It is recommended that the stakeholders work collaboratively to ensure that training is relevant and that it links to entry routes in the related sector. Recommendation 10 Local Authorities, further and higher education institutions, Skills Development Scotland, Sector Skills Councils and employers should work together to promote opportunities through the apprenticeship route. Pre 2000 the prevailing view was that apprenticeships were an option aimed at the less academically successful students. Post millennium they have been viewed as a legitimate entry point to careers in some of our most successful businesses. Apprenticeships have been extended well beyond the traditional trades and are now offered for a number of professional roles. The group would encourage all the stakeholders to do more to promote the role of apprenticeships to young people. This work would enhance recommendations 3 and 5. Recommendation 11 Enterprise skills should form a key component of employment focused training delivered in school, college or through a training provider. Similarly, youth enterprise should be a specific work stream of the newly formed Glasgow Enterprise Board. This recommendation resulted from a wider discussion relating to stimulating demand for jobs and the changing attitudes of young people towards traditional models of work. It is recognised that business growth and sustainability is a key focus for Glasgow. The group is keen that youth enterprise is given prominence to ensure the city realises the potential of our young people s ambition. Joanne Watson Boots Retail offers a number of great career opportunities and Boots are keen to attract a range of talent. Our work on the group has helped us to learn and share experiences with other organisations and to find out more about the support that is available in Glasgow to help us as a business. 9

10 Employer Contribution Recommendation 12 To enable employers to make a strong contribution to youth employment, it is recommended that the business community is engaged early in the city s strategic planning process for youth employment and is considered a key stakeholder in the process. The group was impressed by the strong commitment both at national and local government level, to improving youth employment and support the strategic approach that Glasgow has taken under the Glasgow Youth Employment Partnership. However, there were concerns raised that employer input was under represented or in some cases omitted from the strategic planning process. Recommendation 13 It is essential to include the youth employment programmes designed and delivered by employers in any audit of the city s provision, as well as in any planning. Within the group, all of the members were or had been involved in a programme aimed at improving youth employment. Across the membership they support several hundred apprenticeships per year. Some of this involvement included the direct delivery of programmes ranging from pre apprenticeship programmes to supporting care leavers. This involvement is often overlooked when reviewing supply side provision or offering tenders for delivery, despite making a significant contribution to positive outcomes for young people in the city. Patricia Beattie City of Glasgow College Jim McHarg The Weir Group I have learned so much from this working party as each member of the team has unique skills and insight that they were able to share. From the start there was an agenda for action and change which has resulted in the clear recommendations being put forward. Ensuring that we have an appropriately trained and skilled workforce in essential to ensure that engineering continues to thrive in Scotland. Schools, colleges, universities and employers all have pivotal roles to play in ensuring that our young people are able to meet our nations potential. 10

11 Conclusion These recommendations are the culmination of 14 months of activity for the group and are based on years of experience. Each member of the group is actively involved in programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting young people into work and have drawn on their wealth of experience to reach these conclusions. However, this is only the start of the process and each member of the group has committed to continuing this work. We welcome all feedback and look forward to taking the discussion to the next level. The group is clear that each of these recommendations needs to be supported by ambitious and measurable outcomes and that delivery relies on strong support from stakeholders. In some cases the delivery of some of the recommendations involves changes in policy, in others a review of delivery and in some, the investment of additional resources. The Youth Employment Action Group was facilitated and supported by: Leona Seaton Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Alison McRae Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Sarah Bird & Blair Stevenson Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Martin Collins Glasgow City Council Many thanks The group would like to thank the following organisations whose contributions helped inform the recommendations:» Common Purpose» Glasgow University TERU» Glasgow City Council Education Department» Glasgow Life» Govan High School» GTG Training» Jobs and Business Glasgow» Move On» Skills Development Scotland» The Prince s Trust 11

12 Youth Employment Action Group* Angela Elliott Network Rail Caroline Gray Laing O Rourke David Wylie Laing O Rourke David Scott GTG/ Aronld Clark Automobiles Graeme Horsfall Microsoft Helen Trainor Gorbals Healthy Living Initiative Jim McHarg The Weir Group Joanne Watson Boots Kay Sheridan City of Glasgow College Lauren Murray Murray Recruitment Lyndsay Lauder NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Martin Little LPL Telecom Michelle Sheilds Network Rail Patricia Beattie City of Glasgow College Patricia Rainey Marriott Paul Campbell Scottish Water Ryan James Two Fat Ladies Tracy Buchanan Scottish Power * The recommendations represent the views of the individuals and not those of the organisations. SUPPORTED BY Designed by GCM Creative