New programme gives pupils insight into the world of work

A number of Welsh schools will take part in a new pilot project helping to prepare young people for a career and to understand their working rights.

Aimed at young people aged 13-16 years old, up to 35 schools from across Wales will take part in the new Unions and the World of Work programme, as part of the new Curriculum for Wales.

Schools’ collaborations with businesses are already providing learners with opportunities to learn about work and employment. Developing the skills required by employers, and to raise the aspirations of all learners in considering the full range of opportunities available to them.

In this new programme, the Welsh Government has worked with the Wales Trades Union Congress (Wales TUC) to highlight themes including workers’ rights and equalities, healthy working environments and the role of unions.

The Minister for Education, Jeremy Miles and Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn and Shavanah Taj, Wales TUC General Secretary, visited Caerleon Comprehensive to see the new project getting underway.

Minister for Education, Jeremy Miles, said: "Work plays a huge role in our adult life and we want young people to know not only what is expected of them but also what they should expect from employers.

"We want to equip young people for their first steps into the workplace and ensure that alongside the right qualifications and skills, they also have a good knowledge of the workplace.

"This new project will support the delivery of the careers and work-related experience strand of the new curriculum, which is committed to young people gaining a solid grounding so they can grow to be ethical, informed and enterprising citizens."