The Department of Education, Sport and Culture works with employers and employer groups in many different ways. Part of the Department's Careers Team role is to help facilitate employer supported learning activities across the education system. These activities are underpinned by the Employability and Careers Education Framework and Entitlement Offer Policy and are supportive of children's and young people's transitions throughout education and life.
If you, as an employer, business or organisation, would like to know more about working with schools to help students understand how their learning links to the world of work, please get in touch with the Careers Team through Emily James, Careers Assistant :
Depending on the nature of the enquiry Emily or Helen Hillier, Careers Adviser (Employer Link), will get back to you. There are options for employers to work with schools and UCM that range from a few hours, to days or weeks per year. Some examples follow:
Supporting the work of Careers Advisers in schools and UCM
minimum time commitment - 2 hours per year
Professionally qualified Careers Advisers work across DESC schools to provide Independent Careers Advice and Guidance to all young people before they leave education at 16 or 18 years old. They also support a careers service at UCM. In the past employers have supported the work of the Careers Team by helping inspire young people through sharing their own career journeys and personal experiences of different jobs and roles.
Careers talks or assemblies
minimum time commitment - 2 hours per year
Employers may be asked by a school to talk to small groups of secondary aged learners about current roles and career journeys. Some schools have also involved employers in subject lessons (eg employer review of GCSE business studies projects with learners, techniques used in Engineering company linked to GCSE Design & Technology projects etc). Other employers/employer groups have delivered sessions in assemblies for whole year groups (eg Engineering Careers, Maritime Careers, Healthcare Careers etc) to raise awareness of the sector in the Isle of Man economy.
Workplace visits
minimum time commitment - 1/2 day per year
Visits of small groups of secondary school learners accompanied by their teacher to a business environment that is relevant to the qualification they are studying (Eg A Level Economics, Level 2 Practical Cookery etc). Work place visits will be managed by the school in line with the Educational Visits Policy which can be viewed at this link
Work Experience Placements
minimum time commitment - 2 or 3 days per year
Targeted work experience and work placements can be supportive of our young peoples' understanding the world of work. In Summer 2025, a very successful Year 12 World of Work week ran across all 5 Secondary schools focused on sixth formers who are likely to move straight in to the workforce at the end of their sixth form studies. In addition to this, each year a number of 14-19 year olds may require some work shadowing or work experience as part of a technical or vocational qualification they are studying, or as part of their preparation for leaving school and moving directly into work. The Island school Work Experience Policy can be viewed at this link and includes processes for managing Safeguarding (both Health & Safety and Welfare) whilst children and young people are working within a business.
If an organisation agrees to be included on the schools work experience database they will be guided through a supportive process to help them complete the necessary checks and paperwork to successfully host a student. Across the Islands's schools there are around 40 staff trained to manage student work experience placements with additional expertise and support available through Careers Team staff.
Annual Isle of Man Employment and Skills Event
minimum time commitment - 1 day per year
This annual Island careers exploration event open to students in all Secondary schools and UCM 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. Employment and Skills 2025 takes place on 13th November 2025 from 9-00am to 5-00pm at the Villa Marina, Douglas. Applications for the event are open until early September 2025.
IOM Primary Schools Employability and Careers Education
minimum time commitment - 2 hours per year
In line with the Employability and Careers Education Framework and subject curriculum planning many Primary schools engage with community contacts to support children's understanding of transferable skills, what they are good at, what they enjoy and what the world needs. The DESC Careers Team manages a list of employer contacts that Primary school teachers are able to approach to support these type of learning activities .
In 2025 the Careers Team piloted an employability and careers education programme with 7 and 11 year old children across five Primary schools. This pilot was based on national and international research and Primary Future activities from the Education and Employers charity and focused on real people's career journeys, challenging stereotypes and raising aspirations. This programme will be made available to all Island Primary schools from Autumn 2025
Stand alone employer events
Businesses or employer groups often 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, Careers Adviser (Employer Link) Helen.Hillier@sch.im to explore how the event could potentially support wider careers and employability education in schools and UCM.