Employer Engagement with BHS

1
Employer Engagement with BHS

• Incorporating Employability skills
• Audit

2
Business Sponsors-B E College

• Martins the Printers
• M W Engineering
• Berwick Garden Centre
• Ford Etal Estates
• Cheviot Trees
• Haggerston Castle
• Robertsons Outfitters
• Simpsons Malt
• Grieves West Ayre Accountants
• Hutton Stone
• Allied Grains
• Bedmax
• CCL Computers
• Cresswell Builders
• Cringle Trust
• Longridge Towers
• W Rodgers-Coltman
• Roddam Hall
• Berwick Civic Society

• Tweeddale Press
• Red Shark
• Berwick Holiday Centre
• Jus Rol-General Mills
• Safeway
• Elm Bank Coastal Retreat
• Alstrom
• Berwick Business Forum
• Berwick Rotary Club
• The Better Berwick Fund
• Duncan Davidson Estates
• Charles Inkpen
• Sir James Knott Trust
• Johnston Press Plc
• JS45
• R J Eden Sons
• Edwin Thompson
• Three Feathers Gallery
• The Space Project

3
Enterprise Days

• Ford Etal Estates
• Berwick Garden Centre
• Kelso Races
• Martins the Printers
• JT Doves
• Bamburgh Golf Club
• Seahouses Golf Club
• Bank of Scotland
• Cresswell Builders
• Robertsons
• Morrisons

4
Careers Fairs

• Police
• Army
• Navy
• RAF
• Fire Rescue
• Berwick Holiday Centre
• NHS
• Hardy Greys
• EEF-Year in Industry
• Northumberland Newcastle Colleges
• Grieves West Ayre
• Homebase
• General Mills
• British Energy Torness
• NECC
• Sure Start
• Family Centre
• CITB
• Multiple small businesses ( Photography, Arts
  Media )

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Theme Days-Science

• Alchema
• British Energy Torness
• Speedings of Sunderland
• Ahlstrom
• Cenamps Micro Technology
• The Shark Group
• Hardy Greys

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Placements-Retail

• Morrisons
• Haggerston Castle
• Berwick Garden Centre
• Maxwell Motors (Ford)
• Burtons
• JT Doves
• Buds
• Fairbairns
• Robertsons
• Halfords
• Homebase
• Smiths
• John Lewis

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Placements-Engineering

• General Mills (Jus Rol)
• Ahlstrom
• Allan Bros
• JH Wood
• M W Engineering
• Universal Fibre Optics
• Hardy Greys
• HO Short (Silvery Tweed Cereals)
• Coastal Marine
• Simpsons Malt
• Ancroft Tractors

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Placements-Catering Hospitality

• Cobbled Yard Hotel
• Thistle do Nicely
• Castle Hotel
• Berwick Garden Centre

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Interview Skills Workshops

• Berwick Rotary Club
• Longbones Carpets
• Tyne Tweed Financial Advisers
• Berwick Borough Council
• JT Doves
• Simpsons Malt
• Burtons
• NECC
• Martins the Printers
• Robertsons

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Placements-Entry to Employment

• Berwick Garden Centre
• Les Landells
• Crawfords Joinery
• Allan Bros
• Kevin Dixon
• Berwick Borough Council
• Doug Reavely
• Beachcomber Stables
• Brian Carney
• Sure Start
• North Star ATC
• Brian Wilson
• Blackshaws
• BM Motors
• FX Fitness
• PFL Studios

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Business Audits

• Martins Printers
• M W Engineering
• Berwick Garden Centre
• Ford Etal Estates
• Cheviot Trees
• Haggerston Castle
• Robertsons Outfitters
• Simpsons Malt
• Cobbled Yard Hotel
• Kings Arms Hotel
• Mc Creath Simpson Prentice
• Wicken Fenn Foods
• The Green Shop
• Tweed mouth Service Centre
• J T Doves
• Bank of Scotland
• Grieves West Ayre Accountants
• Berwick Borough Council
• Hutton Stone

• Tweeddale Press
• Ancroft Tractors
• Domestica Kitchens
• Red Shark
• Berwick Holiday Centre
• J H Wood Engineering
• Outdoors _at_ Marshalls
• Jus Rol
• F X Fitness
• Allan Bros
• Morrisons
• Michael Cross Farriers
• Semples
• Silvery Tweed Cereals
• Elm Bank Coastal Retreat
• Silvery Tweed Cereals
• Alchema
• Bamburgh Seahouses Golf Clubs
• Paxton House

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What employability skills do you look for when
recruiting

• Good application forms letters
• Well presented at interview- neat tidy
  appearance
• Sell themselves, enthusiastic positive
• Good Communication, Confidence with people, face
  to face and on the telephone.
• Working ability in Maths English ,
• Willingness and flexibility, strong work ethic
• A desire to learn/do further training.
• Ability to follow instructions
• Good listener, prepared to ask when unsure.

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What employability skills do you look for when
recruiting

• Ambition to achieve job satisfaction.
• Decision making.
• Respect attendance hours, punctual and zero
  absence, reliability
• IT Literacy
• Team working, recognising own strengths/weaknesses
  and areas for improvement.
• Knowledge of how business depends entirely on
  customers.
• Understanding of general workplace discipline,
  Health Safety
• Understanding of what good quality is and why it
  is so important
• Previous work experience.
• Wide ranging interests.

14
What will your skill shortages be in the next 2
to 3 years

• Staff with a can do attitude and ambition.
• Need to train more butchers and bakers.
• Technicians able to design windows to meet
  customers needs. Knowledge of appropriate
  building regulations, technical product
  development trainee for window and door design.
  Customer facing skills, account management,
  delivery planning etc
• Accountancy base level qualification, IT skills (
  ECDL)
• All aspects of engineering, electronic
  electrical skills.
• Food technology
• Printing and binding machine operators.
• Costing and customer services staff
• HGV Drivers.
• Natural sales people who can win business and
  provide a back up service
• Horticulturaly trained staff

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How can you support BHS to achieve above

• Offer work experience.
• Provide a wide range of job briefs.
• Host small groups at the store discussion groups,
  participate in activities such as problem
  solving, provide projects etc.
• Presentations to students on Preparation for the
  World of Work Enterprise initiatives.
• Support the 14 Educational Partnership.
• Support careers fairs.
• Factory visits to inform pupils on career options
  and behaviour requirements Work placements during
  term time or holiday periods.
• Support on training days.

16
What do you know about the learning opportunities
offered by BHS to improve employability skills of
its students.

• Some, based on previous participation in
  workshops at school.
• Little or nothing
• Little direct knowledge and would like to learn
  more.
• Have an understanding of Bridges to Work and
  the14 Educational Partnership.
• Supports school visits by employers and contact
  the school to identify suitable candidates for
  job vacancies

17
What learning strategies do you think BHS should
adopt to meet your future needs.

• Educate youngsters to look at retail as a 1st
  choice, not the last resort. Inform them of the
  great opportunities for those willing to start at
  the bottom and work their way up.
• In the final years of school make a conscious
  effort to prepare students for work and job
  search skills
• Offer Accountancy/Business studies GCSE or AS
  level options. Coaching on CV preparation.
  Aspirational coaching
• Anything that prepares the individual for
  adulthood and the workplace is a good idea. Like
  to see shift towards vocational qualifications
  and work related skills. The partnerships that
  the school is developing with local businesses
  could assist.
• Like to see an understanding in all pupils of
  business economics, diversity and the various
  threats to UK business. Future prospects for
  employment including the emphasis on developing
  the skills that employers need. Introduce people
  from the workplace into the classroom. This
  should cover all job roles from shop floor to
  office.
• Inform pupils as early as possible of employment
  skills shortages to allow them to gear their
  aspirations to an area where they may succeed.
• Identify skills shortages and tailor work
  placements to these areas.

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The Future

• Ongoing Employer engagement is a key element in
  the development of vocational skills and
  capability in pupils. This will increase their
  career opportunities and add value to
  businesses, with the availability of higher
  quality labour to support growth and prosperity.