Preparing young people for the world of work
Working in Partnership with Stephenson College in Leicestershire has given UCATT’s Vulnerable Workers Unit (VWU) the opportunity to help to prepare a group of young ‘pre apprenticeship’ students for the world of work. VWU Project Worker Lol Hunt teamed up the Regional Manager of the Money Advice Service, Susan Cassar, to provide information, advice and guidance on employment rights and responsibilities and managing money at an event at the college in June.
Stephenson College in Coalville, Leicestershire trains some 600 apprentices each year and is one of the largest providers of apprenticeships in the country. In the 2010/2011 academic year, it piloted a “pre apprenticeship” construction course aimed primarily at young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs’).
The course provides students with the opportunity to gain a Construction Award Alliance accredited year one Diploma in woodwork and carpentry. They attend the college three days a week, learning practical joinery skills in the workshop for one day and building up their ‘functional’ skills in ICT, literacy and numeracy during the other two days. As part of a personal development programme, they also build up a portfolio of project work to demonstrate that they are able to plan, organise and evaluate assignments.
Most of the 36 students on the course are school leavers or people changing trades, and most are aged between 16 and 19. As they reach the end of the course, they are applying for full time apprenticeships with local employers; but they also have the option of enrolling at the college for a further year to gain their 2 year Diploma. A third year of study would lead to a year three Diploma.
Working in partnership
UCATT and Stephenson College have signed a Partnership Agreement setting out how the two organisations will work together to promote and deliver learning opportunities. This covers advice, guidance and access to learning; designing, delivering and participating in programmes of learning; and recognising and celebrating success.
Stephenson College Principal Nigel Leigh explains how working with in partnership with UCATT benefits the college:
“As a vocational college, we recognise that working closely with trade unions is an integral part of learning. We also recognise that bringing together positive contributions from each partner – employers, unions, colleges – means that the resulting whole is greater than the individual parts.”
As part of these joint working arrangements, UCATT’s Vulnerable Workers Unit organised an Information, Advice and Guidance event for 17 carpentry and woodworking ‘pre-apprenticeship’ students. This covered employment rights and responsibilities, including health & safety, the role of trade unions and managing your money.
Know Your Rights
Vulnerable Workers Unit Project Worker, Lol Hunt explains the importance of providing IAG to young workers: “It is vital that they know what their rights are before they start work on a construction site, where they can be very vulnerable. They are inexperienced, they may not have a lot of confidence to refuse to do something dangerous and they are often desperate for a job and ‘keen to please’. They need to know about their rights under employment and health and safety law and how UCATT can support them if things do go wrong.”
Making the most of money
Regional Manger of the Money Advice Service, Susan Cassar set out how the students could make the most their money. Susan explained the difference between savings and investments, how credit ratings work and how paying into a pension from an early age can save in the long term. On managing debt, Susan’s key message was “Only borrow what you can afford to pay back and choose the right way to borrow”.
Working with the UCATT’s Vulnerable Workers Unit has helped the Money Advice Service to increase access to financial awareness. “We’re really pleased to be working with UCATT,” says Susan. “This event has given us the opportunity to help young people make informed decisions about their finances.”
Equipping young people with skills for the world of work
Carpentry and Joinery Trainer/Assessor and Subject Learning Coach, Derek Littler believes UCATT’s input into the course has been invaluable:
“We teach the students about employment rights and their responsibilities as employees as part of the course. But with years of experience as a construction worker and trade union representative, Lol can talk to them, about the realities of working on a site”.
And Nigel Leigh agrees.” Working with UCATT allows us to supplement the course we deliver to provide a more rounded experience to prepare young people for work,” he says. “We think it’s essential that all young people on the course have all the skills they need for employment. That means more than just vocational skills. It includes knowledge of health and safety, how to engage with co-workers and employers and how training can become part of their working life. We hope that by working with UCATT raising all these issues will increase the students’ employability and fully prepare them for the world of work.”
