Harlaw Academy

The National Improvement Framework identifies the following priorities:

• Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy;

• Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children;

• Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing; and

• Improvement in employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations for all young people;

Over the session I will come back to each of these priorities but in this blog I want to focus on one piece of work we are doing in respect of the final one.

On the evening of 28th September we will have over 40 City Centre employers in the hall to discuss employment opportunities.  It is intended to be much more than a normal careers fair.  It is very much focussed on our local employment opportunities – in short it is an event aimed at linking local employers with their local school.  One session starts at 6.00pm and a second session will run at 7.00pm.  Each session will start with a very brief presentation in the main hall.

In the lead up to the evening we will be working with pupils to help them identify their employability skills.  Families can help us with this by speaking to youngsters about examples of the skills people need in the workplace.  The ‘I can’ statements on pages 16 and 17 of the Career Education standard offer a summary of some of these skills https://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/CareerEducationStandard0915_tcm4-869208.pdf

The event will formally launch a partnership between Harlaw Academy and Aberdeen City Council – one of the largest, most diverse and most stable employers in the City at present – http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/JobsOnline/Default.aspx

It will also formally promote the City Centre master plan – a set of major developments (and job opportunities) planned for the City Centre over the next 30 years – further information at http://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/council_government/shaping_aberdeen/City_Centre_Masterplan_Consultation_Material.asp

Many of the companies involved in the developments or likely to benefit from the transformation of the City centre will be at Harlaw to speak with our pupils.  These will be our local employers and they want to speak with Harlaw pupils and families before speaking to any others.  Indeed, if they see how great our pupils are they may not need to speak with others as they will come to Harlaw for their future workforce.  I hope pupils and families will come out in force, and well prepared, for #secureyourfuture on 28th September.