Janine has been an Enterprise Adviser since April 2017 and is matched with Adeyfield School in Hertfordshire.
Throughout her career, Janine has been passionate about bridging the skills gap between school and employer expectations. Especially as part of her most recent corporate role within hospitality, she focused on engaging young people with careers. She developed and implemented an award-winning talent management strategy which opened opportunities for students at a variety of entry points to transition successfully into the workforce independent of the level of prior school or university education.
Now running her own HR consultancy, the Enterprise Adviser role allows Janine to remain engaged and committed to her goal of raising career aspirations of young people and prepare them for the world of work.
Employer engagement activities
Janine has utilised her networking skills to support the school. She has:
• Organised joint careers fairs, engaging a variety of employers to attend
• Brought employers into schools directly for activities including: speed dating events, employer talks, mock assessment centres
• Brokered contacts for the school across multiple sectors
• Supported day trips to universities and large companies
• Actively engaged with the Enterprise Adviser network to build connections with other like-minded professionals
Impact
Through these activities, Janine has witnessed an improvement in students’ work readiness and increased exposure and awareness of careers available to them. Students have a better understanding of employer expectations, skills required at work and how recruitment processes work.
Janine is working with the school to set the careers strategy around raising aspirations of young people. She has gained a better understanding of young people’s hopes and expectations and is actively bridging the gap between education and employment.
Naomi Walker, Careers Lead and Assistant Head teacher at Adeyfield, has found Janine’s support invaluable:
‘The work of our EA has been invaluable in driving our careers provision forwards.
Janine has supported the school’s career lead in developing a sustainable and effective career programme within school. Her knowledge and experience providing insight to the careers and labour market and employer connections helping the school provide meaningful encounters with a range of employers.
The opportunity for me as careers leader to meet regularly with both Janine and our enterprise co-ordinator has enabled me to think ‘outside the box’ to ensure the provision of our careers programme for our young people is meaningful, effective and sustainable in ensuring our students are real world ready.
As a result of the work of our EA the school’s careers provision has made huge leaps forward, securing a clear careers framework within the school to ensure that our young people are fully prepared for the world of work.’
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