Employers

Inspiring the Future Australia works with employers from all sectors and professions across the country, helping to encourage their employees to register on the portal as‘volunteers’ so they can inspire young people to pursue a career in their profession or industry.

Employers are welcome to sign up now for free and receive newsletters and updates from time to time.  Later in 2017, employers will be offered sponsorship opportunities with differing levels of privilege.  This will include uploading of the company logo to the website, a custom Volunteer Sign-Up link so that staff electing to participate are all linked to the employer’s record, the company logo appearing on staff members' profile that teachers view and the ability to monitor levels of employee involvement with ITF and feedback from school visits.

What is Inspiring the Future?

Inspiring the Future is a free service that connects teachers from all Australian schools and colleges with volunteers who have pledged to give just one hour per year to speak to young people about their job, career and the educational route that they took. Volunteers and schools are connected securely online, with volunteers receiving invites from local schools and colleges to see if they can attend activities during the academic year.

What type of employers do we work with?

We plan to work with a broad range of employers across all industries and all sectors (Private, Public and Community sectors).

What school activity options are available to employee volunteers?

Schools can invite volunteers to any career or education activity. Common examples include:

• Career Insight Talks and Activities

Speaking to groups of young people about your career journey and education pathway, and what work you do now. -providing information on skill requirements and possible education pathways that lead to future employment in your industry. You could do this by offering students short careers talks including a Q&A session, presenting at a career fair, or participating in activities such as Speed Career Networking and ‘What’s my Line” or being involved in an ‘Inspiring Women’ activity.

• Curriculum Link

Involving yourself in consultations with teachers who seek to enrich school curriculum by offering your input to students so they can develop an appreciation of how their academic and vocational school subjects and learning activities are relevant to and are being applied in your career, workplace and industry.

• Help with Resumes and/or Realistic Mock Interviews

Giving young people feedback and advice on their resumes – helping young people practice their communication skills in realistic mock interview scenarios for jobs, Apprenticeships, Higher Education entry etc.

• Exchanging Expectations

Enabling the voices of employers and young people to be shared and heard through authentic career conversations. In practical terms, this means a pair or small group of young people sitting down with you (as an employer/ee) and discussing what you both hope for and expect from each other. Young people and employers learning together, will help young workers (including students on placement) and their supervisors to be both more fulfilled and productive in their work.

• Reading or Numeracy 
  

Reading to children or listening to them read in a primary school, either individually or in groups. This could be a one-off activity or it may evolve into more regular involvement depending on the needs of the school and availability of the volunteer - taking part in a numeracy related activity with a group of primary school children

What does a Career Insight Talk look like?

Short careers talks or insights normally take between 20 minutes and 1 hour including a Q&A sessions for students to ask the volunteer questions. Schools and colleges may also host careers fairs which normally involve 20 – 30 professionals from different sectors, with students moving round in a market place set up, and these normally last about an hour.

Benefits for Employers

• Free secure service that makes it easy for your staff to engage with schools and colleges by matching employee volunteers with school requirements

• Communicating with young people offers excellent personal development opportunities for employees and members

• An effective means of supporting corporate social responsibility and long-term recruitment objectives for your profession

• A gateway to working with schools and colleges, across a wide range of activities that support learning and progression

• Online general guidance will be provided by Inspiring the Future Australia to both volunteers and registered schools and colleges

Statutory child protection checks are not normally required as a teacher will always be present.

Hear a volunteer explaining the benefits of Inspiring the Future for employers and professional bodies;

Get in Touch

If you are a large employer or professional body interested in getting involved with Inspiring the Future Australia in any way, please contact us to explore options. We can also discuss the option of having one of our staff members deliver an Inspiring the Future presentation to your organization personnel and/or members.

We would also love to hear from you if you would like to facilitate and/or sponsor one of our special focus campaigns such as an Inspiring Futures for Young Women activity or a Designed & Made Week activity.