Category: Employability

All young people have to prepare for independence and employment but this can be a difficult and challenging process. ESB was inspired to create a brand new Employability Skills qualification to help prepare students for the world of work.

Following the publication of the government’s Green Paper, which stipulated that students with learning, physical or sensory difficulties should enter into employment where possible, and consultations with employers including Sainsbury’s, Costa Coffee and Marriott Hotels, ESB developed a new and exciting Entry Level 1 qualification, Inspiring Confidence in Employability.

The qualification includes a mandatory unit, Introducing Oral Interview Skills, which is externally assessed by an ESB assessor. This involves a presentation, a telephone call enquiring about an interview and a mock interview.

The other four sections, Employment, Essential Employability, Preparing Yourself for Employability and Enterprise are assessed internally by a portfolio of evidence. Learners can tailor the qualification to their own strengths and interests by choosing from 43 separate unit choices including Working in a Children’s Nursery, Working in an Office, Solving Problems in the Workplace and Being Healthy – Keeping Fit.

Inspiring Confidence in Employability was piloted in June at the Calthorpe Vocational Centre in Birmingham and is now being taken at a variety of SEND centres across the UK. ESB aims to launch the qualification at Entry Level 2 and 3 to provide a clear progression route into employment and other qualifications.

Inspiring Confidence in Employability is a flexible qualification for 16+ learners allowing them to develop their assertive abilities and offering an opportunity for them to make their own choices. It is unique in its approach and develops the skills that employers want.

Find out more about Inspiring Confidence in Employability.

Enterprising students from Liverpool John Moores University beat over 100 undergraduate companies from across the North West to be crowned the Young Enterprise North West Start Up Company of the Year.

The overall winners, six Second Year Business & PR students, had taken part in an ESB Presentation Skills Workshop as part of their preparation for the event. ESB were also delighted to see the Student of the Year, Best Presentation and Winning Finalist had all benefitted from ESB workshops.

15 student companies, whittled down from over 100, represented 8 North West universities and colleges to compete at the event, hosted at Manchester Metropolitan University’s state of the art Business School.  The undergraduates have taken part in the Young Enterprise scheme, which encourages them to set up and run their own businesses for a year, with the help of business mentors and industry led skills workshops, including ESB.

Over 1000 North West students have taken part in the project since September 2014 from institutes including; University of Liverpool, Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Central Lancashire. Currently, ESB works with Liverpool John Moores University, Edge Hill University and University of Chester.

Andy Firr, Young Enterprise Start Up Manager explained:

The impact made by the ESB’s involvement in the Young Enterprise Start Up Programme this year cannot be underestimated. Bringing sector specific industry specialists into the lecture room has a lasting and positive influence on the undergraduates we work with. The sessions led by ESB partners have all been well planned, resourced and delivered. We are really grateful for the support and would love the opportunity to continue our partnership in 2015/16.