'BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS' WORKS!

The Cutlers' Better Learners, Better Workers' programme is built on the same principles as the Careers and Enterprise Company.... 'build on what works' and 'test, learn and adapt'!

Over the last four years the 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programme has reached over 500 young people who have achieved the Cutlers' Skills Passport and a further 1500 are currently on programmes in schools across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. The research is very clear but the evidence is also incredibly powerful. The research suggests that we need to:

• Do a lot of WOW (world of work) activities and the more the better;
• Be authentic and keep it real and connected to the world of work;
• Do different things; mentoring, enterprise, careers, work experience, talks etc;
• Start young and work from primary age;
• Be coercive since young people 'don't know what they don't know';
• Be professional and maintain high quality activity and impartial careers advice and guidance;
• Ask young people what they think about what you offer!!

The evidence on the ground in schools shows us that:

• employers see the real value of the programme;
• getting young people into the world of work is life-changing;
• we need to change school perceptions of the world of work;
• we need to change parents and carers perceptions of the world of work;
• relationships between young people and employers are hugely important;
• sustained long-term programmes work best;
• the world of work is changing fast and we need to keep up!