About the Programme
‘Better Learners Better Workers’ is an employer-led programme that provides young people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they will need to be successful in the world of work. It has been designed to enable schools to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks for good careers guidance in line with the Department for Education’s ‘Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents’.
At the heart of Better Learners Better Workers (BLBW) are student Ambassadors aged 13-16 who enjoy a range of high quality employer encounters, experiences and challenges, both in school and in the workplace, to develop their job-ready skills and behaviours.
The programme is focused on specific employment sectors to allow young people to develop more in-depth knowledge and understanding of the world of work based on their particular interests and enthusiasms.
At the end of the programme, each Ambassador gains an employer-endorsed Skills Passport based on the BLBW Skills Builder Framework, co-created by employers with education partners.
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Who is the programme for?
The Better Learners Better Workers programme is for young people in Years 9 and 10.
Evidence suggests that the programme has most impact with those who are in the mid-range academically, especially those who who are perceived as underachieving against expectations owing to one or more barriers or vulnerabilities.
Young people can join the programme in Year 9 (two-year programme) or Year 10 (one-year programme); however, there is a clear distinction and progression between the two year groups:
- Year 9 – introductory year with opportunities to explore a specific sector and develop fundamental knowledge and understanding of skills for work
- Year 10 – confidence and leadership development through further employer encounters helping young people to become sector Ambassadors and raise awareness with their peers
Students apply to go on the programme and are selected based on interviews with the BLBW team in collaboration with the school.
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Who is behind the programme?
The programme is led by The Cutlers’ Company, prestigious leaders of engineering and manufacturing in South Yorkshire, who work in partnership with Sheffield City Council and employers to deliver the programme for a range of sectors across South Yorkshire.
Find out more about the history of the programme…
What are the benefits of the programme?
- Schools are supported to achieve the Gatsby Benchmarks
- The programme has a proven impact on student behaviours, outcomes and achievements
- Students develop personal confidence and motivation, career aspirations, awareness of the world of work and employability skills
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