The Department's Careers Adviser (Employer Link) is Helen Hillier. If you, as an employer, business or organisation would like to know more about working with schools and UCM to help students understand how their learning links to the world of work, please get in touch
email: Helen.Hillier@sch.im
mobile: 236 194
By working in partnership with the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and their schools, businesses can provide valuable input that complements school delivery of aspects of the curriculum related to Careers exploration and the development of Employability skills. Every interaction between employer volunteers and the children and young people in our schools helps shape the future of our Island.
"The more young people encounter employers whilst in school (4 or more often being cited), the more they earn and the lower their chances of becoming NEET as young adults" Education and Employers Research 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
The different ways that employers can become involved in the work of schools and UCM around Careers exploration and Employability are below:
Supporting the work of Careers Advisers in schools and UCM
minimum time commitment - 2 hours per year
There is a team of Careers Advisers who work across DESC schools and UCM to provide Independent Careers Advice and Guidance. One of these Careers Advisers, Helen Hillier, is the dedicated employer contact for DESC, its schools and UCM. Employers have supported the work of our Careers Team in the past by inspiring young people through sharing their own stories and experiences of different jobs. Employers can bring the world of work to life for children and young people and are an invaluable resource in education and learning. If you are interested in finding out more about how you can work with education in this way you can contact our Careers Team through Helen Hillier via email Helen.Hillier@sch.im
Work Experience and Work Placement Opportunities
minimum time commitment - 2 or 3 full days per year
We are currently considering how targeted work experience and work placements can be supportive of our young peoples' understanding the world of work. We have a number of models that we can discuss with employers so please get in touch with our Careers Adviser (Work Experience), Helen Hillier, via email Helen.Hillier@sch.im if you wish to discuss options further. We're happy to shape this around what you are able to offer as an employer.
Annual Isle of Man Employment and Skills Event
minimum time commitment - 1 day per year
Employment and Skills 2023 is on 9th November 2023 from 9-00am to 5-00pm at the Villa Marina, Douglas.
This annual Island careers exploration event open to students in all Secondary schools and University College Isle of Man who are at key points in their lives in terms of decision making about options and potential future careers. Members of the public interested in career changes are also able to attend during the day.
During the event the young people attending explore job roles and the idea of career through the lens of the Employability skills language adopted across careers and employability education in DESC schools – Teamwork, Problem Solving, Communication, the Ability to Learn, Resilience and Self-awareness.
Please contact: Helen Hillier or Frances Cowin, DESC Training and Events Coordinator via frances.cowin@sch.im if you want to know more about the 2023 event. Application forms for employer exhibitors will be available summer 2023.
Inspiring the Future
minimum time commitment - 2 hours per year
Inspiring the Future is a website that is supported by the Education and Employers group across the country which puts together employers and schools to support work on employability and careers with children and young people.
Volunteers come from many walks of life and from a variety of backgrounds. Volunteers from small, medium sized and multi-national companies have already signed up and since the Covid 19 pandemic many of these sessions to engage with young people can be arranged to take place virtually using technology across the country.
You can find out more about Inspiring the Future activities below:
If you are an employer who is thinking about volunteering then there is more information here
Link to employer volunteer registration form
If you are a school there is more information here
Link to school registration form
Please follow the step by step guide to registration as a school or employer volunteer. Contact is then direct between the schools and employers to organise how this engagement will work.
An example of a virtual employer event that ran across Island Secondary schools recently can be found here
Junior Achievement
minimum time commitment - please contact Junior Achievement for further information
Junior Achievement is a charity organisation that works across both Primary and Secondary schools on the Island. They offer a range of finance and entrepreneurship education programmes and employers who volunteer to deliver these programmes undergo training in presenting to children and young people and are then supported through initial delivery by more experienced JA volunteers and staff.
The Junior Achievement website has contact details for anyone wishing to become a Junior Achievement Volunteer.
Stand alone employer events
Sometimes businesses or employer groups work with the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and their schools to develop a stand alone employer event with a particular focus. For an initial discussion around planning this type of event please contact the DESC Careers Team via Helen.Hillier@sch.im to discuss how the event could support wider Careers Education planning and delivery. For example, working in partnership with employers has enabled the planning of successful STEMfest events for Primary aged children.