By Lynne Rogers.

The Centre for Post-14 Education and Work was commissioned to evaluate the Believe in Young People (BiYP) Project. BiYP is a registered charity for careers information advice and guidance based in Milton Keynes. BiYP designed a web-based one-stop careers portal for learners with the capacity to streamline the provision of careers information advice and guidance and work experience/work placements in learners' study programmes in schools and colleges. It provides an end-to-end careers service for young people in partnership with teachers and employers. 

The aim of the evaluation was to assess the potential for BiYP to meet the careers education information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) requirements and needs of schools and colleges with a focus upon the feasibility of integrating BiYP's innovations into Post-14 programmes of study. A working group was established with representatives from BiYP, member schools and contacts from further education providers to test and feedback on version 2 of the portal and programme as it was rolled out between January and August 2016.

Initial findings show that the most positive impacts on learners of effective CEIAG and innovative work placements and work experience are that they significantly increase learners' awareness of, and preparation for, the specific needs of employers in specific occupational sectors and job roles in terms of the knowledge, skills and personal qualities required for entering specific occupations and employment. 

Effective and innovative CEIAG in combination with high-quality work placements and work experience integrated into learners' programmes of study, significantly help prepare young people for progression into work and/or further/higher education and training.

Innovative and integrated CEIAG and employer engagement can lead to a more manageable and cost effective approach to CEIAG for schools and colleges and can produce substantial savings to employers' recruitment costs by providing a work-ready pipeline of future talent.

According to Paul Grainger, Co-Director of the Centre for Post-14 Education and Work at IOE:

The work that I have seen generated by Believe in Young People is very impressive. The virtual learning materials are attractive and of a high standard and will encourage young people to interact with them.

The link that has been established between soft skills and local employment is at the leading edge of advisory work, and the ability for students to match their profiles with those required by their aspirational employment provides a first rate opportunity to encourage young people to be serious about employability skills. Hopefully this will create an improved transition from education to work, and better retention rates within the workforce.

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