Gatsby Benchmarks ‘great’ for fenestration

The fenestration industry has at its fingertips the means to assist education professionals in meeting five ‘Gatsby Benchmarks’, claims Building Our Skills’ Partnerships Manager, Mark Handley.

Mark explains that there are eight Gatsby Benchmarks in total. The benchmarks serve as a framework for careers provision by the education sector and have been adopted as part of the Government’s Careers Strategy, statutory guidance for schools and guidance for colleges.

Mark says: “The Gatsby benchmarks are named after the party who commissioned an investigation in 2013 to set out what career guidance in England would be like if it were to meet by international standards.

“This resulted in the ‘Good Career Guidance Report’ in which the eight Gatsby Benchmarks were defined. It is clear to us here at Building Our Skills that the initiatives we already operate can be instrumental in helping educational professionals to fulfil five of the benchmarks with ease.”

The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are:

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

Mark continues: “The five benchmarks with which Building Our Skills can easily assist include ‘learning from career and labour market information’; ‘addressing the needs of each pupil’; ‘encounters with employers and employees’; ‘experience of workplaces’; and ‘personal guidance’.

“The industry-bespoke careers festivals we organise, our workplace visits, employability skills training and mentoring all dovetail perfectly into the requirements of the five benchmarks.

“Building Our Skills prioritises working with the education sector. The fenestration industry as a whole understands that working with schools and colleges is its best opportunity to inspire the workforce of tomorrow. And with education professionals looking for ways in which to meet the recommendations of the Gatsby Benchmarks, this is a great fit for all concerned.

“I would urge careers teachers and educators to get in touch with us to find out in detail how we can work together.

“We all recognise that there are challenges to overcome in trying to bridge the skills challenges faced by the industry. We wish to invest in long-term strategies to promote growth.”

For more information on Gatsby Benchmarks, click here.

www.buildingourskills.co.uk