ABOUT DAVID

Dave is both a passionate speaker and a skilled facilitator in such matters; someone who truly understands the value of multi-agency collaboration and regional strategy.
The ideas he creates and the findings of his research of partnerships within the OECD and Commonwealth nations are made available to the clients of his consultancy.
Download Dave’s Bio (.PDF)
At the very heart of Dave’s work is a belief in:
The importance of employer-education collaboration
The vital role that young people can play through peer support in meeting the challenges facing teenagers
The value of a regional strategy which supports young people (including the most at risk) in their transition to adulthood.
As forces responsible for globalisation and artificial intelligence casualise or even diminish routine tasks in the labour market, whilst demanding judgement and high order soft skills from their work force, how do schools and youth employment agencies respond? How can we best enable young people to have a satisfying and rewarding future?
Credible sources across the OECD are calling for schools ,youth services and employers to develop and release the imagination, creativity and innovation of young people. This direction is equally pertinent to developing their future in both matters of employment and citizenship. How can schools and youth employment agencies stimulate and resource young people to achieve fulfilment and prosperity?
Student voice consistently places a very high value on careers education, and suggests that their school could do even more in this area. Whilst the school is primarily accountable for, and rewarded for attainment levels, many teenagers ponder the relevance and value of their learning and marks, especially, but not only in lower socio-economic schools.
How do you engage subject teachers in strengthening the school’s capacity to meet these student aspirations? How can an educational jurisdiction support school leaders to build both a team and an integrated curriculum approach that fully incorporates vocational learning, careers education and transition support?
Acclaimed by various overseas commentators as the world’s best practice in school-to-work transitions and youth pathways, the Swiss have developed a strategic approach to employer and education collaboration that serves their 12-19 year olds.
How do firms ensure that their collaboration with schools and their recruitment and development of young apprenticeships are productive for their business, and of value to the nation?
How is quality assured and how is this success measured and what can we learn from that experience?
Re-imagining work experience and strategically using the work placement for those who most need work based learning. What is government policy saying about the value, and the targeting of work experience? How British and Australian employers have re-imagined approaches to work experience for school students, and generated satisfaction for both young people and employees involved? How a regional strategy can ensure the more effective use of placements, and meet the work based learning needs of the most at risk young people?
A range of British, Swiss, Australian and American approaches to reducing the number of young people that fall into the gap between school and work: A summary of recent UK and OECD research which indicates a correlation between student contact with employers, and their employability as young adults. How can these approaches be developed at a national and regional level?
Where there is a lack of work based learning opportunities, let alone jobs, how can a community develop young entrepreneurs and enterprising employees! How can schools and other partners involve young people as “future makers” and income generators for the local development of that community? – especially for those young people who want to live and work in that community? How can a region tap into the passion and interest of young people in the creative industries?
The collaboration between local/regional department agencies/social enterprises and schools underpins success stories in rural and remote communities from across Scotland, Canada and South Africa. What possibilities are created by broadband? Case studies and helpful strategies that seek to retain and employ young people in the local community will be outlined.
A tool for schools, employers and youth services (ie training and employment agencies) to review , score and develop their organisation in order to become more partnership friendly. A checklist on how collaboration between schools and employers can be sustained. UK, Australian and Swiss examples will be outlined.
The vital role that peers can play in supporting the career development and transitions of teenagers – in context with parents, employers and professionals inside and outside school. International research which evidences the power and influence of peers will be outlined. The success of young person led programs such as Career Search and Career Inspectors will be shared. This workshop will draw upon Dave’s work for the UK and Australian governments – “The 4 Pillars” of career and transition support.
Exploring the values that underpin the two concepts and then outlining approaches across OECD nations to expose teenagers to opportunities, and inspire young people to expand/enhance their hopes and options, are at the heart of this topic. Discussions will also explore the differences in meaning and impact between imposed expectations (from parents and others) and strengthening young people’s aspirations.