Why Are Schools Not Preparing Students For Work?

Schools play the most important part in educating young people. Schools in the UK have improved massively in their ability to teach key skills and that despite having to deal with many changes. Many schools are confronted with a greater variety of pupils in terms of language skills, general skills, learning disabilities etc. In addition, there have been changes in pupil’s attitude towards schools and teachers. Teachers are no longer seen as authoritative as they were some years ago and also haven’t got the same tools to discipline anymore. May that be a good or a bad thing it has certainly resulted in a different environment to teach.

Of course there is criticism and room for further improvement, however that should not shy away from the fact that schools are better in teaching key skills than they have been 10 years or so ago. We are criticising schools in areas of their expertise i.e. teaching skills and now we expect them to perform in teaching students how to write a CV, application letter and prepare for an interview.

What experience do schools and teachers have that enables them to do these things well?

When did a teacher last have to write or read a CV or application letter?

Employers evaluate their recruits using psychometric assessments. What experience do schools have in this subject.?

What are the soft skills companies look for in interviews?

I am sure you get the point. A math teacher teaches math and is good at it for a reason. He or she won’t perform as well in geography let alone in art, sport or music or for that matter in preparing students for work.

I believe writing a good CV and application letter is not done by copying and pasting a template of the internet. Even if you think that is good enough surely that won’t teach you the soft skills required or provide you with the necessary confidence to perform well when it matters.

I also think herein lies another question debated in another blog; are we taking our first job application and interview serious enough. If you take into account that it is a career defining moment surely not everyone does.

So what is the answer?

Preparing students for work is a subject that in my opinion can’t be taught by schools alone. I even think it is a subject that can’t be taught at all. It requires coaching.

Coaching to create a CV and application letter promoting a student’s individual strength.

Coaching to understand, learn and embed the soft skills individual students have or can develop, whilst at the same time coaching to understand where there may be weaknesses and how to overcome these.

….. and very importantly coaching students to be confident in who they are, confident in the knowledge of where their strengths lie and how to “perform” despite their weaknesses.

If we ask teachers in schools to do all that I feel we are asking too much.

…. And one important aspect we haven’t discussed so far at all is that good teachers don’t just teach; they inspire. What is required to inspire a student about getting ready for work, the importance of appearance and getting ready in time, the importance of developing their “brand” way before the first job application and linking all that to developing your “social media profile”?

Inspire students for football – bring in a successful and inspirational player, at least successful at the level the students should aim at

Inspire students to dance – bring in a dancer performing on stage

Inspire students to get ready for work – bring in successful business people who can inspire your students and who the students will accept as a coach.

If we want our students, our kids and young adults to compete in the race we have to get them off the blocks well otherwise the race is lost before it’s started.