Scottish Careers Week: Helping Young People Shape Their Future
From 9 to 13 November, Scottish Careers Week brings together educators, employers, career practitioners, partners and communities across Scotland with one shared ambition: to help people explore their future. This year’s theme, Shape the Future, feels particularly relevant to our work at DYW North East. For young people, making decisions about the future can be exciting, but it can also feel daunting. The world of work continues to change, new opportunities are emerging and there are more routes into careers than ever before. That is why giving young people the opportunity to meet employers, experience different industries and understand the pathways available to them is so important.
Bringing careers to life
At DYW North East, we work across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to connect employers with schools and young people. Whether it is a classroom session, workplace visit, career event, work experience opportunity or a hands-on employer activity, these experiences help bring the world of work to life. They can help a young person discover an industry they had never considered, understand how the subjects they are studying connect with a career, or simply give them greater confidence about what their next step might look like. Importantly, there is no single route to success . University might be the right pathway for one young person, while another might choose college, an apprenticeship, training, employment or entrepreneurship. What matters is that young people understand their options and feel confident making the choice that is right for them.
Employers have a powerful role to play
Scottish Careers Week is also a great reminder that career inspiration does not only happen in the classroom. Employers can make a huge difference. Simply sharing your story, opening the doors to your workplace, talking honestly about the skills your business needs or giving a young person an opportunity to experience your industry can help shape someone's thinking about their future. It benefits businesses too. Engaging with young people provides employers with an opportunity to raise awareness of their sector, challenge misconceptions, showcase different career pathways and build relationships with their future workforce. In a region with significant opportunities across sectors including energy, digital, construction, engineering, health and social care, hospitality, food and drink and professional services, those connections have never been more important.
Shape the future with us
Scottish Careers Week is a week of activity, but its message should continue throughout the year. Creating a strong future workforce is a collective effort involving young people, employers, schools, colleges, universities, career services and communities . Every conversation, workplace experience and employer interaction can open someone's eyes to a possibility they may not have considered before. So this Scottish Careers Week, we would encourage employers across the North East to get involved, share their stories and help young people see where their skills and interests could take them.
Together, we can help young people understand their options, build their confidence and shape their future.
Find out more about Scottish Careers Week and access the campaign resources through Skills Development Scotland Website.
