How to engage schools and colleges

The second guide in ISE’s School and College Engagement Toolkit explains how to best engage with schools and colleges.

Effective engagement with schools and colleges goes far beyond corporate social responsibility. It is a strategic investment in your future workforce, with the power to build talent pipelines, enhance brand perception, and deliver meaningful social value.

From understanding the education landscape to delivering impactful work experience or career insights, every stage of your outreach strategy plays a role in shaping a young person’s future—and your organisation's.

ISE’s School and College Engagement Toolkit provides three detailed guides on why to engage with schools and colleges, how to engage and a guide on collaborating with others.

Here we look at some of the practical steps you can take for effective school and college outreach including understanding the school and college landscape, regional differences and timing.

Understanding the school & college landscape

Engaging with education requires a solid understanding of different institutions' operations, priorities, and challenges.

Understanding the differences between schools and colleges, including resource pressures, timelines, and considerations for young people who are home educated and have special educational needs.

All employers can complete the (free) Employer Standards framework and tool. This includes more guidance for employers, with recommendations and resources targeted to their size and score.

Mainstream schools

• Key contact: Careers Leaders are the main point of contact, though they are often stretched across multiple roles. A dedicated staff member may hold this position, but more often it's someone with other responsibilities, such as an Assistant or Deputy Head, who may have limited time. This can lead to delays in responses. Their contact information is a statutory requirement on school websites.
• Enterprise Advisers: Many schools also work with voluntary Enterprise Advisers through the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC)—industry professionals who support the Careers Leader.
   
• Budgets: Most schools cannot fund engagement activities. Consider supporting transport, lunch, or materials, especially when targeting students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Colleges

Colleges are more likely to have a dedicated Careers team, and their details are available on their websites.

If you want to engage with students between 16 and 18, you need to be clear about the age group you want to target and work with, because colleges are open to all ages.

Colleges cannot guarantee student attendance at events, and class sizes can range from very small to much larger than typical school classes.

Special schools

If you're looking to engage with special schools or support young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), there are dedicated resources to guide you.

The Careers and Enterprise Company have a specific SEND resource hub: Resources for SEND specialists | CEC Resource Directory and resources  

Supporting Employers: Working with Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) | CEC Resource Directory

Talentino specialise in SEND careers guidance: Careers Advice, Support & Development.

Home-educated young people

During the 2023/24 academic year, approximately 153,300 children received elective home education (EHE), an increase from an estimated 126,100 in the previous academic year.

Engaging this group through traditional activities typically delivered in a school or college environment can be more challenging.

To ensure a reach amongst these students it may be appropriate to provide a strong presence across key careers related media channels such as Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service, Prospects | Job & Course Search | Career & University Advice, Amazing Apprenticeships | Explore Vocational Education & Apprenticeship Opportunities

Regional considerations

Employer engagement must consider regional policy, culture, and student behaviours. There are varying challenges and opportunities depending on where you are hiring in the UK. This will vary depending on where in the UK you are hiring.

Here are some factors that influence regional hiring decisions: 

·Governing bodies and policies: Each region has its governing bodies and policies.

·Culture and statistics: Understanding the local culture and statistics can help tailor your approach.

·Regional challenges: Be aware of specific regional challenges, such as the apprenticeship market in London.

·Outreach: Tailor your outreach efforts to each region's specific needs and opportunities.

When to engage

Timing is everything in school and college engagement, so choosing when to engage with a school or college is key.

Key considerations:

• School calendar: Check the local authority's school calendar to plan activities around core term dates and holidays.
• Notice: Give schools as much notice as possible to book events.
• Year groups: Consider the students' education and career decision-making stage. For example, Year 9 students are choosing GCSE options, while Year 11 students are preparing for GCSES and considering A-levels.

Which year group: Opportunities to engage with students exist throughout their school years. According to the Gatsby Benchmark Five, all students aged 11 and up should have at least one meaningful interaction with an employer annually.

When selecting which year group to engage with, it's crucial to assess students' positions in their educational and career journeys.

For example, Year 9 students are deciding on their GCSE options, while Year 11 students are preparing for their GCSES and considering A-levels. Early engagement can significantly impact their key decisions.

Read Guide 2 in the toolkit for more detailed information on how to engage including case studies, insights on getting the right timing and regional differences as well as the best information and programmes to provide such as work experience and apprenticeships