Event Spotlight: What is exchanging expectations?
Learn the large value of a simple conversation
Exchanging Expectations facilitates conversations between volunteers and school students, in order to learn about each other's hopes, aspirations and expectations of the workplace and young employees. The conversation is about building understanding between professionals and young people, in order to understand how to improve both the fulfilment and career development of a young person, as well as their productivity in the workplace.
More just speaking with young people, exchanging expectations is a two-way career conversation that enable young people and employers to participate in dialogue about the world of work. This can most easily be organised with a volunteer from the world of work sitting down with a small group of students in a quiet and comfortable location. Both parties then discuss what they hope for and what they expect from each other at work. This can occur within the school, or in a visit by students to the volunteer's workplace, a teacher is still required for supervision in either situation.
Why is it valuable for volunteers?
Volunteers and employers can engage with young people and ask questions, giving them the opportunity to improve their recruitment and retention of young workers
Volunteers and employers can raise the profile of their organisation or industry with young people
Ideas to improve the productivity of entry level workers, apprentices and work experience students can be discovered or investigated
Why is it valuable for students?
Students get their concerns about employment and the labour market heard
Students get the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to their future as workers
Concepts such as workplace productivity and resilience are highlighted and students are encouraged to create their own solutions and strategies
Students can overturn unhelpful stereotypes about young workers
Students get experience in a constructive and reasoned conversation with someone akin to their future employer or boss
