Cambridge Publishing Management (CPM) writes:
Here at CPM we are keen to support our industry's future talent and welcome the opportunity to work with young people.
'Getting employers involved by helping to prepare young people for work and making their organisations more ‘youth friendly’ is something the CIPD has been leading on since our Learning to Work programme was launched almost two years ago’, says Katerina. The action-focused programme is designed to encourage and support employers in helping to prepare young people for work.
We were delighted when a post-graduate student and a recent graduate approached us in May with a view to us supporting their studies. Katie Cornish is doing research into visual accessibility in graphic design, based at the Engineering Design Centre at Cambridge University, and Daisy Walker had recently graduated with an English degree and was looking for work experience in publishing prior to commencing her Masters.
Daisy had contacted many of the large publishing houses but to no avail and admitted how disheartened she was. A mutual friend put Daisy in touch with CPM and Daisy worked with us for two weeks in May. The transition from being a student to being employed can be, as Daisy put it, ‘pretty scary’. ‘The world suddenly seems huge… you don’t simply fall into your dream job’. She was surprised that she felt immediately involved in our company and was thrilled that her suggestions were listened to and genuinely considered. We also thoroughly enjoyed the experience and we were very sad to see her go. She has written a blog for us about her experience.
Katie came to talk to Catherine, our editorial manager, and was interested to learn that designs are often commissioned and reviewed by email, and not as part of a face-to-face round-the-table meeting. We showed her some Readers that we helped SEN Press to design for teenagers with special education needs. Katie’s research team has designed cardboard glasses containing a lens that helps recreate the blurring effect experienced by someone with a visual impairment. If anyone is interested in using the glasses to help ensure their designs cater for maximum accessibility please visit http://www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com
The CIPD has seen a surge in the number of employers who are interested in increasing engagement with young people by offering more access routes into their organisations, such as Apprenticeships and school-leaver programmes. So what’s in it for employers? Why should we invest our time in developing and supporting young people?
At CPM, we saw the opportunity not only to lend our expertise but also to gain some fresh ideas. In Daisy's case, it was an extremely rewarding opportunity that allowed us to use Daisy for projects that were outside of our busy day-to-day client requirements. We also felt that we were able to contribute to her personal development, and preparation for her continuing studies. We afforded Daisy autonomy and authority to make decisions, which increased her confidence and we ‘treated her like a fellow colleague’.
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