A new partnership between the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) and leading careers organisation Push has been announced today (Tuesday 11 September) to help both students and employers by delivering careers education in schools.
The partnership aims to encourage members of the AGR to get involved in Push Talks, an award-winning programme which delivers engaging and informative career events in schools and sixth forms. Two leading education charities, BestCourse4Me.com and Brightside, are also involved in the partnership.
The advice given in the Push Talks events is independent and impartial, and hundreds of events are delivered every year. Without sponsorship, schools and sixth-forms have to pay to be included in the programme.
Earlier this year, charitable website bestCourse4me.com – supported by philanthropists Steve and Ros Edwards – provided funding for an additional 100 talks in disadvantaged schools. The further backing from the AGR and Brightside is expected to bring in more funding from employers, allowing Push Talks to be rolled out to a target of 1,500 schools annually by 2015 – about half of all schools in England and Wales.
As well as school visits, Push Talks will manage on-going communications via email with students who attend their talks. Over time it will be possible to pair them up with relevant employers, universities and other organisations, including e-mentoring and further information services provided by Brightside.
A longitudinal evaluation study will also be carried out to measure the impact of Push Talks on the students and employers involved. This will extend the existing monitoring, which shows that 93% of students rate the experience as “excellent” or “good”.
The AGR is encouraging its members, which comprise over 750 organisations from both the private and public sector, to support Push Talks. Chief Executive Carl Gilleard said: “AGR members can support the provision of careers information talks to school leavers through Push Talks, and we are calling on our members to support and bolster this well-established programme. It is imperative that students are better informed about the options available to them after leaving the world of education and, by becoming involved in this programme, our members can aid this process.”
Johnny Rich, founder and managing director of Push, commented: “The cuts may have left a gap in careers education right now, but we intend to fill that gap with something more effective and sustainable. We’re also in discussions with universities and other stakeholders about how they too can get involved. I’d like to see the Government support this too.”
