Barclays launches life skills initiative
BARCLAYS is inviting business, schools and government to work together to remove the barriers young people face when moving from school to work with a launch of a major new programme called LifeSkills.
This curriculum-linked education programme aims by 2015 to equip one million young people with the skills they need for work and connect them with work experience opportunities.
From next month teachers will be able to access a range of free resources designed to develop the skills employers most seek in young people covering topics such as writing a CV, managing money, and building self-confidence. After completing the modules in class or online, teachers can then match students to local work experience opportunities.
To help as many young people access the resources as possible, sessions will also be held in Barclays branches later this year.
During 2013 the aim of LifeSkills is to make 50,000 work experience opportunities available. Barclays will provide at least 6,000 opportunities and is encouraging businesses of all sizes across the UK to get involved. Waitrose, Centrica, ISS and McDonald’s will be working together with Barclays on LifeSkills to help unlock work experience opportunities for 14-16 year olds.
Barclays is also working in partnership with plotr, a new industry-led and government backed careers platform, which will extend the reach of the LifeSkills programme through their partners and tie it in with other employability resources.
Young people who complete the LifeSkills modules will be able to access work experience opportunities from the many businesses who are part of the plotr community, who in turn will benefit from a pool of candidates who have completed basic work skills learning.
SME research reveals businesses want to support young people on their journey from school but are held back by lack of access to students with basic work skills.
Over three quarters (77%) of decision makers said they would be more likely to take a work placement if the young person had employability training, rising to 81% of those in companies with 250-500 employees. A similar number (76%) also said they would want to be part of a scheme which matched them to a school.
Paul Titterton, regional director for Barclays said: “We face a major challenge in supporting our young people to make the transition from education into the world of work. This challenge has never been greater for modern western economies like the UK, where the employment landscape is radically different and much more competitive compared to 30 years ago.
“The opportunities we provide now to our young people for them to shape and realise their aspirations will have a profound impact on our economy and society.”
To inspire people to get involved, businesswoman Karren Brady, TV and radio presenter Jameela Jamil, sports personality Colin Jackson and founder of Nails Inc. Thea Green have been recruited to call on business, schools, government and young people through the Let’s Go to Work initiative, to help transform the opportunities available.
