Annual Meeting PARTNERSHIPS FOR YOUTH - Economic Development ...

Workshop D – What could businesses do?
4
DAY II
The workshop addressed the question of what employers can contribute to increase youth
employment and provide sought-after opportunities for young people from all educational
backgrounds. The main discussion revolved around the question of employer engagement and tried
to identify how employers can be incentivised to take on young people.
Mr Rath of the Association of Employers‘ Organisations of Berlin and Brandenburg, pointed out that
the German model and its popularity with businesses is based on the accessibility of cheap labour in
the form of apprentices that can be skilled and trained with help of state schools to meet the specific
needs of the employer.
Other participants were keen to point out that collaboration between local government and job
centres is often difficult and cumbersome for employers creating additional barriers for the creation
of additional opportunities. Employer representatives unequivocally agreed that incentivisation of
taking on young people, not only in the form of funding, but also training support, works much
better than penalties as part of the introduction of a quota system.
Moderators
Katherine Chapman, UKCES
David Halabisky, OECD LEED
Contribution by
James Doorley, Deputy Director, National Youth Council of Ireland
Federico Montelli, General Director, Formaper, Italy
Ralph-Michael Rath, Association of Employers‘ Organisations of Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany
Burkhard Volbracht, Business Development Agency Berlin (Berlin Partner GmbH), Germany
Rationale
This workshop will explore the role of businesses in helping young people into work. It will examine
what more businesses can do, or do differently, to help young people make the transition into work.
This includes the role of businesses in helping young people develop employability skills, in
providing careers information and in using recruitment practices that work for young people. It will
also explore how businesses could be encouraged to create more entry level opportunities and work
based training pathways for young people. The workshops will analyse employers‘ experiences of
government support in these areas to identify what works from the employer perspective.
Q1. How could businesses engage most effectively with the education system to help prepare young
people for work? (for example work experience and careers information)
Q2. How can businesses ensure that their recruitment practices reach young people? Is there a role
for government or other partners here?
Q3. How could businesses work together to create more entry level jobs and work-based training
pathways for young people? How can government incentivise employers to do this?