Supporting Students
Much of your future workforce is currently in education. Sharing your knowledge, experience and advice will inspire and inform their career choices – helping them to develop the confidence to move into a role that is right for them – and to be the right employee for you. Opportunities include giving a class careers talk or providing one-to-one mentoring for a student on a longer-term basis.
There are many ways to support students. The options below give you a starting point, including the benefits to your business and what’s typically involved.
Careers Talks
Schools, colleges and universities value employers delivering a presentation about career paths in a particular industry or organisation and sharing personal career journeys with students. The host institution will discuss with you the proposed content and timings of your talk, so that you can be confident it will be appropriate for the age and interests of the students and any wider audience members (e.g. parents, carers and guardians).
Headline benefits
- Support your local community
- Build partnerships
- Staff development
Your commitment
- Delivery time: Short
- Liaison with education institution
Contact schools and colleges in your local area, or visit GOV.UK for more information on how to get started.
Careers Events
Getting involved in careers events enables you to increase young people’s understanding of your organisation or industry and inspire their future career choices. It can also be an opportunity to inform and influence parents, carers and guardians who can play a key role in young people’s career decisions. Careers events are usually targeted at students aged 14 and above, and you may be asked to act as an ambassador, contributing to school or college choices events, careers and/or recruitment fairs, speed-networking events, or present a careers talk (see previous section).
Headline benefits
- Support your local community
- Build partnerships
- Staff development
Your commitment
- Delivery time: Short
- Liaison with education institution
- Preparation time may be substantial (e.g. for a stand at a careers or recruitment fair)
Get a clear overview of England’s education and skills system, how it’s changing to meet business needs, where your business can get involved, and the benefits of doing so. Download the Guide
Preparing for job applications
Employers can provide invaluable advice and support on writing CVs, completing job applications and interviews. Activities you can take part in include offering CV feedback or workshops, practice interviews and Q&A sessions. All of these will help students to build their confidence, develop essential communication and presentation skills, and identify potential job vacancies.
Headline benefits
- Support your local community
- Build partnerships
- Staff development
Your commitment
- Delivery time: Short
- Liaison with education institution
For more information please visit The Careers and Enterprise Company Website.
Employer Mentoring
Mentors provide a positive role model for young people. You work one-to-one with a student, typically aged 14 or above, to help build their confidence, develop their resilience, and support their aspirations. Some mentors also help students to develop particular subject knowledge and skills. You will build your relationship with a student through regular meetings over an extended period of time. In some cases, the mentor-student work has a specific goal, such as preparing for an apprenticeship or job applications, or for higher level study at college or university.
Headline benefits
- Support your local community
- Build partnerships
- New talent
Your commitment
- Delivery time: Ongoing
- Liaison with education institution
For more information please visit The Careers and Enterprise Company Website.
Support Extra-Curricular Activities
Employers can help students to develop essential skills – such as teamwork, communication and problem solving – by getting involved in a range of extra-curricular activities. These activities include school clubs, and skills or entrepreneurial competitions at local, regional or national events. Your support could be in the form of setting challenges, running workshops, mentoring teams, and/or judging competitions.
Headline benefits
- Support your local community
- Build partnerships
- Staff development
Your commitment
- Delivery time: Short
- Equipment
- Liaison with education institution
- Preparation time may be substantial (e.g. for workshops)
Get a clear overview of England’s education and skills system, how it’s changing to meet business needs, where your business can get involved, and the benefits of doing so. Download the Guide
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