​​The pandemic and the rise of hybrid working have widened the skills gap and altered the landscape of work experiences for young people of school age. Anyone currently working in education will tell you that finding quality work experience opportunities can be difficult, leaving many school leavers underprepared for the world of work.

But it doesn't have to be this way.

At the age of 13, students in the UK choose their GCSE options. This decision often determines their post-16 choices and early career pathways. Research shows that 36% of young people base their career aspirations on people that they know and over one-third of 15-16 year olds have career interests that focus on only 10 professions. Limited knowledge about a range of career pathways, underdeveloped employability skills and limited access to professional networks often means that young people, particularly those from marginalised communities, do not have the necessary knowledge, skills and networks to make informed choices.

Starting early matters

Compounding this issue is the fact that stereotypes about gender, ethnicity, careers and class begin to form in young people as young as 7. If left unchallenged, these stereotypes can perpetuate a cycle of disadvantage, fuel underrepresentation, and stop many young people from reaching their full academic, career and leadership potential. Whilst some early engagement opportunities start at age 14, many wait until 18 or above. At Diverse Leaders Network, we want to ensure that no child is left behind by helping employers engage with young people as young as 7 in a meaningful and age-appropriate way.

Rethinking early careers engagement

The early careers landscape is changing. We are calling for all employers across industries to rethink their talent pipeline strategies and reassess the age at which early careers engagement starts. If your organisation started working with children from the age of 7, what would this look like?

By connecting with us, we can help your organisation deliver high-impact early careers engagement programmes, track impact and build long-term relationships with young people from the age of 7 through to 19 from marginalised backgrounds.

Want to know more? Please drop a comment below, send us a DM or email us at info@diverseleadersnetwork.org.uk