2. The “hidden talent” of 2.5 million
young adults is being wasted
because they are on the dole,
working part-time or in jobs for
which they are over-qualified
April 2014
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. A poll for LinkedIn questioned 200
Graduates questioned about their
experiences after university and
discovered that 65% of graduates are
not prepared for the world of work.
March 2014
13. Surveyed 635 senior managers and
52% employers said ‘none’ or ‘few’
graduate recruits were prepared for
the working world when starting their
first job
September 2013
14. What is your
experience of
Young People in
the workplace?
What does
‘Ready for
Work’ mean to
you?
37. Innovation
And Vision
People and
Team
Customer Service
Measurements
Controls
£ costs
38.
39. “I don’t have any strengths,
I don’t have any
qualifications, I don’t really
have any confidence, so I
don’t know what I have to
offer and employer”
40. “What ever job you give me I will
always do it to the highest
standard and where possible
improve it even more. I am a
finisher and no matter how long it
takes I will not stop until a job is
completed and completed well”
Erin, age 17, 4 hours later!
The biggest challenge that young people face today is that they have low self-confidence and cannot see their worth to an employer or, they have so many options and opportunities that they have no clear vision and are confused about the jobs or careers that would suit them best.
The “hidden talent” remains hidden because our young people are never taught what their natural gifts and talents are and why they are so crucial to a fulfilled life. They are often made wrong for spending time on what they love to do and told they must spend more time on what they find difficult and whilst this is valuable to a certain degree it becomes counter productive as their confidence takes a huge knock, they question their self-worth and they struggle to know who they are and what direction they should take.
And so, their talent stays hidden from the young people themselves and their prospective employers.
We took some time to ask employers what having a ‘Work Ready’ young person would mean to them, what would they want to see?
The most common answer?
A young person who would show up to an interview looking ready to come to work and who could confidently speak about who they are, what they are good at and what value they would bring to the company.
It appears that we are critising them for something we are not teaching them and so it is time to make amends and give them the gift of self awareness.
Talent Dynamics works with young people to deliver a program that empowers them to discover who they are, what they are naturally talented and gifted at and therefore the value that they will add to an employer.
Ask them what they want to do, what job would they love to do they’re like…I dunno!
So we continue to judge ability purely on academic achievments…..force young people to stay in education till at least 18 to get more qualifications….
Some still have no clue what they want to do and continue to university….sent off by proud parents wanting the best for them….
They’re dreaming of how proud they’ll be when their son/daughter graduates…
The teen dreaming of what graduation will mean…
And then the reality of getting the degree and STILL not knowing what they want to do….
And various polls done with employers reveal shocking statistics that cost businesses millions £££’s in recruitment and training costs and still often result in poor retention….
We took some time to do our own little poll and asked employers what having a ‘Work Ready’ young person would mean to them, what would they want to see?
The most common answer?
1. A young person who would show up looking ready for work…
What’s your experience of young people in the workplace?
What does ‘Ready for work’ mean to you?
We did our own little poll…….and asked employers that questions. We got three consistent answers….
1. Young people who would show up looking as though they were coming to work…..
2. Young people who would show up before time to start on time…
3. THE most important thing….they said we would just LOVE to have a young person sit in an interview and CONFIDENTLY tell us who they are, what they are good at and what value they bring to this role or business….
We said We can do that!!! And we did
Using Talent Dynamics for Young People as a vehicle we take groups of young people on a journey from….having no clue…
To discovering not only who they are but what they are naturally gifted and talented at
Which of course is different for everyone and therefore where they find their flow and will be in flow in the work place. That’s where they will not only find where they fit in….but that’s where they will add value to the business and therefore get to stand out….
……….for the right reasons.
Discovering as an individual what roles are right for them…..
Understanding what will challenge them….
Know how they best contribute to a team or a project….
Turn to the person next to you and discuss – What is Flow?
Group answers
Yes – it’s all that AND……
How and when they best lead a team or project….
How they communicate best and can adapt their communication to others….
What difference would it make to you in your business to have young people…be they junior staff, apprentices, or interns……show up confidently, knowing their self worth, knowing where they are best utilised and what will stretch them or stress them?
What is the impact of having the right young people in the right place in your organisation vs young people in the wrong role?
Emotionally and financially?
I’d like you to meet Erin. In just 4 hours Erin went from this…..
To this!
Would you be impressed if she showed up in your interview room?
You know I hear your frustrations as employers and business owners with regards to this generation. And you know what? This is a VERY different generation to ours. They do literally live in a different world. A faster paced world. A world full of expectation and pressure on them to achieve on the one hand…..and do nothing for themselves on the other! We are several generations into loosing parenting skills through pressure of work from both parents to make ends meet or single parent families trying to survive or low confidence in parents themselves. We see the contrast of gen Xers giving their kids everything they never had so why would they want to work for anything? We have an ‘entitlement culture’ and the contrast to that…..kids who are third generation of parents who have never worked…..the benefit Street kids. Why would they be inspired to get a job? Then we have those who do want a career but have bought into the belief that there are no jobs…or they just don’t know what they want to do.
ALL of these things and more are knocking the confidence of our kids, undermining their sense of worth and causing a lack of identity and vision.
I believe that we are in a pivotal point in time…….
We can continue to talk about it and how terrible it is or……
Here’s what they said held them back and frustrated them……
I believe that we are in a pivotal point in time…….
We can continue to talk about it and how terrible it is (and allow them too also) or……
We can stand and be counted and start to bridge the gap…..be the missing link between parenting, education, training, careers advice and CV writing.
We can work together to run programs that boost confidence, accelerate self worth and give young people vision and direction FAST so that they can discover their hidden talent and become valuable assets in the work place.
There are numerous options for you to become a part of this talent transformation
Work with us as a coach or trainer,
Run programs in-house for your interns or apprentices or have our tem do that for you
Sponsor programs in your local community to allow young people from local schools/colleges and apprentices to go through our programs
Come and train to run your own programs or let us bespoke course to your needs.
If I have inspired you in any way to find out more and to explore how you might help then please fill in the contact slip and I personally will contact you to explore options – no strings attached or obligation to sign up to anything right now.
