ASDAN Employment and Skills Forum
"All employers are looking for young people with strong employability skills, including the ability to solve problems, work in teams, and manage their time effectively. But more needs to be done to address the weaknesses in the soft skills of school/college leavers and graduates..."
CBI, 2010
Ready to Grow: Business Priorities for Education and Skills –
Education and Skills Survey 2010
The ASDAN Employment and Skills Forum aims to:
- Influence the debate on skills and education
- Work together and share best practice, experience and expertise
- Ensure that qualifications are in place to develop the skill set needed to be a successful employee
Download the campaign booklet: Inspiring our Future Workforce
Leading on Skills Education
ASDAN has led the way in skills education for over 30 years. One qualification in particular, the Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE), guarantees capability in six critical skills:
- Working with Others
- Improving own Learning and Performance (Independent Learning)
- Problem Solving
- Research
- Discussion
- Oral Presentation
If a young person has CoPE on their CV, it shows they have spent time developing and using skills that are essential in the workplace.
Further information:
Employer Endorsements:
Manoj Vasaikar - Owner and Chef: The Indian Zest, The Indian Zing and The Indian Zilla
"I have always believed that it is essential to empower young people to learn and practice employability skills before they step out to make their mark in the professional world. ASDAN qualifications offer an excellent and unparalleled opportunity to do just that."
Andy Parfitt - Former Controller of BBC Radio 1
"The skills you need to do well in the workplace or organisations are very different in many ways to most school subjects. I enjoyed my school years, but my exam results were 'patchy' - what I did have was energy and enthusiam, a high degree of ability to 'do' practical things and a willingness to learn."
Wendy Rowe - Creative Consultant for Burberry Beauty
"When I select assistants, I need to know that they are able to work as part of a team, take responsibility, keep to strict deadlines and be instrumental in resolving problems. As an employer, I believe that the ASDAN CoPE qualification fills the gap between the know-how and the doing. It’s encouraging to know that young people are being given the opportunity to learn these skills before they leave school."
Cath Kidston - Designer
"Qualifications like ASDAN’s CoPE are so important, because they allow young people to be recognised and rewarded for their individual talents, without requiring them to 'fit the mould'."
James Caan - Entrepreneur
"The skills you need to do well in business are not always the skills they traditionally teach you in school - problem solving, a good attitude and the ability to communicate well - these are the aptitudes I recognise in new recruits because they show that someone's going to be able to hit the ground running. That's why qualifications like ASDAN's CoPE are so valuable - they give skills a status and allow different kinds of learners a chance to shine, enabling employers like me to spot the bright, enterprising types - whether or not they've achieved academically."
More Employer endorsements can be found in The Employment and Skills Forum booklet