Could your business help to prepare a young person for the world of work?

West Lothian Council works alongside partners such as the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) Regional Group to improve students' understanding of the world of work and to ensure young people are fully equipped to make informed choices upon leaving school.

Employers can play a vital role in improving a young person's life chances by:

• Providing work placements for students.
• Mentoring a young person through the Career Ready programme.
• Delivering career insight, skills, or employability sessions.
• Partnering with a school to enhance the curriculum.
• Supporting the Young Person's Guarantee.

Employer involvement with schools brings numerous business benefits including building stronger community links, creating a talent pipeline, and raising awareness of your organisation and industry.

Rodney Ayre, Senior Department Manager at Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning Systems Europe Ltd, said: "There has never been a more important time for businesses, parents, and teachers to ensure that young people are given every opportunity to experience and get ready for the world of work. Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing pace; businesses do not only need to prepare their technology platforms, they also need to prepare their skills base to manage this. Young people are the key to that success."

Executive Councillor for Economy, Community Empowerment and Wealth Building, Kirsteen Sullivan, said: "Providing positive destinations for our young people is of vital importance. A great deal of work goes in to ensuring students are equipped with all the skills they require for entering the employment market. A crucial part of this involves working with businesses to understand their needs as employers, so that schools can provide learning opportunities which equip young people with the skills employers are looking for."

If you think your business could help develop the workforce of the future, then please get in touch today.

https://www.investinwestlothian.com/business-support/workforce-development/developing-the-young-workforce/  or contact michelle.robertson@westlothian.gov.uk