4 steps for building the managers of the future

14 September 2016 -

Almost a third of young people in the UK aren’t confident about finding work near their home town, but what can be done to promote the professional managers of the future?

1. Make sure that young people learn more about the world of work every year from 11-18 by introducing a school-to-work syllabus into the national curriculum

Employers need to do more to work with schools and offer a programme that supports the transition from school to work. This could include activities such as employer speaking programmes and extended work placements aimed at developing employability skills and a greater understanding of the variety of career pathways available over time.

It is also vital that parents and carers are included in any initiative, as they frequently act as role models that influence important life decisions.

The EY Foundation and CMI will be setting up roundtables in key hubs across the UK to convene local employers, the education sector, and other key stakeholders such as local councils and Local Enterprise Partnerships to begin discussions on what a school-to-work syllabus would look like.

2. Strengthen and champion all pathways into work, including apprenticeships and entrepreneurship

Employers, schools and colleges need to show they value diverse educational experiences and pathways into work, not just university, and champion the full range of career pathways from entrepreneurship to the new apprenticeships that are now available.

With the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, and the launch of new Degree Apprenticeships, the landscape for education and training is being transformed and information and guidance in schools for young people needs to reflect this newly formed array of apprenticeship schemes.

CMI is fully committed to raising awareness of the new apprenticeship pathways into management as a profession and will work with employers, UCAS, careers advisory organisations and other partners like the new Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to showcase young people’s progression and achievements through apprenticeships.

3. Develop key management and leadership skills from a younger age

Employability skills such as team leadership and management need to be embedded into education from a young age, offering all young people the opportunity to develop such skills before they enter the workforce.

Schools and colleges in particular should be supported to increase access to professionally accredited schemes that offer employer recognition of the management skills developed as part of a new school-to-work syllabus.

4. Create an employer-backed school-to-work national youth panel

We need to make sure young people’s voices continue to be heard by those who have the power and ability to create change. The panel would be led by young people and backed by employers, and it could help achieve lasting change in how young people learn about and experience the world of work.

To achieve this, the EY Foundation and CMI will work to create a national school-to-work youth panel. We will seek support from leading employers directly and through the UK’s leading business umbrella organisations.

Find out more about CMI’s school to work initiative with their new report, Age of Uncertainty: Young people’s views on the challenges of getting into work in 21st century Britain and join the debate on Twitter: @cmi_managers #schooltowork