Benchmark 5

• Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes, and should include students’ own part time employment where it exists 
• Every year, from the age of 11, students should participate in at least one meaningful encounter* with an employer. 
• Every year, alongside their study programme, students in colleges should participate in at least two meaningful encounters with an employer. 
• At least one encounter should be delivered through their curriculum area. • Colleges should record and take account of students’ own part time employment and the influence this has had on their development. 
• Work with your regional Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to make sure you are aligning to the strategic economic plan of the region

*A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has the opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.

Why is Benchmark 5 important?

• Research from the Education and Employers Taskforce shows that a young person who has four or more meaningful encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training and can earn up to 22% more during their career. 
• The world of work is changing. Where work was once tangible and tied to a specific place, it is now increasingly conceptual, mobile, and global. The workplace itself is also beginning to look very different, with automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence set to impact all of us in the years ahead. Meaningful interactions between young people and business are hugely important for getting young people prepared for work, with research showing that four engagements with businesses at school leading a young person to be 5 times less likely to be unemployed as an adult.
• Social background has a profound effect on progression in learning and work. Expanding employer encounters broadens students’ horizons for action and fosters community cohesion. The King’s College London’s Aspires project found that students with low social capital stand to benefit most from improved careers education and links between education and employers. 
• Structuring employer encounters within the school curriculum strengthens aspirations and attainment. It supports students to take action to achieve their full potential. 
• New jobs are emerging, many in growing sectors like digital technology. First-hand encounters expand a student’s understanding of areas of growth. 
• Motivated to achieve which shows that an additional three meaningful employer encounters can change the attitude of Key Stage 4 students in education. This can influence their future plans and subject choices, motivate the to study harder and support an improvement in academic attainment.
• The Bank of England estimates up to 15 million jobs in the UK are under threat of automatioThe The Bank of England estimates up to 15 million jobs in the UK are under threat of automation over the next two decades. It is vital that students have first-hand contact with employers to help their understanding of the skills needed for their futures. 
• There are significant ongoing weaknesses in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent-base, including under-representation of women and minority groups. Well-planned employer encounters can help address this imbalance.