More and more schools are building relationships with local employers and business groups. Friday afternoons provide the ideal opportunity to further foster these relationships and allow young people to consider many of their skills in a real-life context working with employers in school and out in local communities.
New College Lanarkshire are delivering inserts to all schools on the application process for moving onto further and higher education. Pupils are studying taster courses in psychology, British Sign Language, music and performance, podcasting and football coaching.
As part of our Friday afternoons, UCAS have provided online sessions for all pupils who are intending going to University. These sessions discuss the application process and allow pupils to ask any questions.
Pathways pupils representing a number of schools from North Lanarkshire can use the dedicated time on a Friday afternoon to complete work experience opportunities, on site with local business partners. Future Fridays pathways to employment sessions are delivered leading to positive post school destinations.
Many school have utilised time on Friday afternoons to train our young people as First Aiders. This is Chryston High School’s first cohort.
Our volunteers inlcuding Future Friday ambassadors from Coatbridge High School who help to plan, coordinate Future Fridays events in school and out with each week receiving their SQA accreditation. Our tackling poverty team worked in most schools to help pupils understand money matters, credit, mortgages and managing finance, helping them prepare for the next stage of their lives.
Pupils are seen here piloting drones. Skills Development Scotland colleagues have delivered sessions across schools about how drones are now used in the construction field. Helping pupils understand many of the jobs available within the built environment sector.
Pupils from Kilsyth academy working with Community Learning and Development on the first steps to youth work programme helping young people understand the skills and helping to gain experience to work with young people.
The Career lounge at St Ambrose High School has given pupils an opportunity to meet with local business partners and also some sportsmen and women from across Scotland. These sessions have helped provide focus on what it it like to work and compete in these sectors and help young people have a greater understanding of business.
Pupils from Dalziel High School who helped to run our recent Developing Young Workforce conference in the Concert hall. Pupils worked with council staff to understand the events planning process and, on the day, worked with all staff to coordinate the event on the day. One young person gained employment within the concert hall from this experience. Cardinal Newman High School pupils taking part in debating club, tackling many of the world’s ‘wicked issues’ and learning to tactfully argue their case against pupils from other schools.
Local Business EJ Parker working with young people on a career pathway pilot which will provide the opportunity for young people to understand many of the job roles within a construction company, ranging from engineers to marketing to accounting and administration. This programme aims to provide learning in a real life context. This will be replicated by a number of local business partners. QA apprenticeships worked with our 23 mainstream secondary schools to deliver inserts on apprenticeships in IT and helped prepare young people for the transition into training and work.Some pupils from Braidhurst High School engaged in STEM activities looking at practical applications of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
Schools are taking the time on Friday afternoons to train young people in many different ways. Schools have started their own cafes and bistros. Highlighted here are Chryston High School’s Cafe Viresco and Brannock High School’s Bistro. This is providing opportunities for our senior phase young people to train as Baristas, manage finance, and hone skills which are crucial for part time, full-time or employment. Current labour market data highlights continual demand for jobs in these areas. With this training our pupils become more employable and job ready.
Young people in S1 and S2 from a number of our schools are taking part in the Monklands Replacement Project, the biggest building development in Scotland. These young people will engage in this project throughout the life span of the build and they will have opportunities to design aspects of the hospital, take part in tasks covering a range of careers and jobs.
Kilsyth Academy pupils trip to Sky Academy in Livingston gave them opportunity to play many roles involved in putting together a live TV show. Perhaps some budding presenters and directors of the future in this very picture.
Cardinal Newman Pupils working in their ‘Snapdragon’ cooking kitchen. Local chefs have been in working with our young people and have helped them prepare cooked meals and develop skills for life and work in the process.
