Engaging employers with the 14-19 Diplomas: the employer perspective

Conceptually, the notion of policy ‘levers’ as mechanisms deployed by the state to bring about change has been discussed by Coffield et al. (2008). Governments typically use a combination of ‘levers’ and ‘drivers’ in order to encourage educational institutions to implement policy. In this context, the mandatory requirement of WRL for all 14–16 year olds, the minimum of 10 days work experience for Diploma learners, and the formal assessment of performance through inspections by Ofsted, can all be identified as examples of ‘levers’, directing schools towards engaging with employers. Funding has been identified as a key ‘driver’ towards collaborative working in the 14–19 landscape (Pring et al. 2009). Over the last 10 years, there have been multiple funding streams to support WRL including funding to Education Business Partnership Organisations (EBPOs) for 14–16 WRL; the Increased Flexibility Programme; the Key Stage 4 Engagement Programme; funding for practical learning (Direct Schools Grant); the European Social Fund and funding from Regional Development Agencies (DCSF 2007). These funding streams have been largely directed at schools. Although government can regulate business and industry’s behaviour in many areas, such as employment practices and health and safety, it has much less leverage in terms of requiring employers to become involved with the education of 14– 19 year olds. Consequently, we would argue that attention needs to be focused on identifying possible ‘drivers’ to persuade more employers to support the 14–19 curriculum, and in a variety of different ways. Hughes (1998), in a study in the USA of employer motivations for participating in school-to-work programmes, identified four types: philanthropy, enhancement of the organisation’s public image; a supply of short-term, no-cost or low-cost labour; and the organisation’s long-term recruitment strategy. A recent report examining the value of education–employer relationships, synthesising recent studies in this area in the UK and USA, identified similar benefits to employers: staff recruitment; staff motivation; staff development and building a strong corporate identity (Mann, Lopez, and Stanley 2010).