PPLI Annual Report 2020 - Flipbook - Page 95
Employer Engagement 4.A.1
Action Progress
PPLI Transition Year and Leaving Certificate Applied/Vocational Programme ‘Working with languages’ work
experience activity packs were developed to introduce languages as part of work experience. In collaboration
with NCGE, the packs were aligned with career guidance skills and learning outcomes. The NCGE stamp was
added to the packs to illustrate the integral relationship between career, life, and language skills. A pilot of
the packs in schools in the early part of 2020 was halted by school closures, but in the autumn a pilot was
conducted by guidance counsellors. The TY & LCA/LCVP ‘Working with languages’ Work Experience activity
pack can be accessed at https://languagesconnect.ie/news-and-events/work-experience/.
Transition Year activities including work experience placements have been
severely impacted by COVID-19. Work experience in schools has largely
been cancelled or reimagined since March 2020. PPLI actions which had
been planned around student engagement regarding careers/employers
have been halted until schools return to a fully normal environment.
A ‘Creating Partnerships with Employers’ document, which has been
developed for schools to support the formation of partnerships with
employers involving language skills, has been produced, but dissemination
will only take place when the COVID-19 situation allows. The guidelines
encourage schools to collaborate with local employers in various ways and
involve students in real-life workplace projects where the benefits of having
language skills are recognised.
The work of the FLAG Enterprise sub-group, which PPLI is part of, has been impacted by COVID-19 as the
attention of the members has been preoccupied by the events caused by the pandemic. The group has
offered valuable networking opportunities for PPLI and will hopefully return to normal scheduled meetings
once the situation allows.
Impact
•
The positive collaboration between PPLI and NCGE has enhanced the role of language skills in the world
of work as a career and life skill. This is reflected in the material PPLI has developed for the students
involved in work experience as career guidance and language learning outcomes have been aligned.
•
As COVID-19 has negatively impacted on the schools’ abilities to carry on with the usual work experience
and foster employer engagement opportunities, PPLI has focused on planning and developing actions
during this time. With employers experiencing worrying times and health measures in place impacting on
businesses and organisations, PPLI recognises that it is not the suitable time to try to engage with
employers in a meaningful way.
Next Steps
96
•
Disseminate Work Experience activity packs to schools mainly via guidance counsellors
•
Disseminate ‘Creating Partnerships with Employers’ guidelines to schools
•
Collaborate with relevant organisations to support school partnerships with employers
•
Initiate activities for students to take part in language-related career projects