EEF launches new guide to make school engagement top priority

EEF has launched a new guide, in partnership with the Careers Enterprise Company, showing Britain’s manufacturers how to engage with schools effectively to boost the number of young people entering the sector as a career.

The guide details how some of the UK’s most successful companies bring their expertise into schools offering placements and mentoring schemes, helping to bring to life STEM subjects alongside practical engineering experience.

EEF believes workplace visits and job shadowing are also effective tools for aspiration rising as are speaking directly to parents about the opportunities available in manufacturing and engineering.

Research has shown that UK parents do not realise that manufacturing is one of the highest paid sectors for new employees.

To meet the Government's Gatsby Benchmarks, another 4 million employer encounters and a million workplace experiences are needed, yet, CEC research finds that roughly three-quarters of young people still miss out on at least one encounter of any kind with an employer at any point during secondary school.

"Using the Careers Enterprise Company work, this guide shows how manufacturing employers can be empowered to effectively engage with schools through mentoring programmes and enterprise competitions in addition to their existing programmes. Importantly, it signposts where employers can go for additional support from the CEC,” said Bhavina Bharkhada, EEF Education and Skills Policy Adviser.

"EEF and manufacturers across the country are committed to giving young people the opportunity to explore this great industry. We are therefore calling on manufacturers to pledge their support in engaging with the next generation of creators, innovators and makers though this guide, and for schools to reach out to their local manufacturers,” he adds.