To help your child understand how the skills and knowledge they are gaining at school and at home can be applied to the world of work you can

• talk to your child about the skills you use in your work inside and outside the home.
• involve them in tasks like buying insurance, booking a holiday, making a shopping list and budgeting for the weekly shop.
• help your child to see that getting coursework done and being punctual will develop their self discipline and reliability and make them more employable in the future.
• ask family members to talk about how they got and keep their jobs. Have they had to re-skill, are they keen to get a promotion or change careers?
• take advantage of any ‘Bring your son or daughter to work’ schemes to let your child see you in the world of work.
• help your child to see and seize opportunities - encourage them to go on that school trip or enter that competition.
• support them when they go on work experience or work placements.

Education for Employability is set to become a statutory component of the NI Curriculum at Key Stage 3 (11 - 14 yrs.). Your child will be hearing more about the skills and qualities needed to get and sustain employment. To help your child get the best out of all the Employability initiatives in school, you can

• attend any parent/teachers meetings or school open evenings - these are an important link between your child’s school, teachers and you.
• ensure you are briefed about work placements or industrial visits and the opportunities they provide.
• make the school aware of your expertise and work experience so you can share it at any school careers events or Employability evenings.