The platform “Film your job” aims to promote apprenticeships by introducing young people to apprenticeship and trades through short videos shared on a dedicated platform as well as on social media.

The project is implemented in partnership with schools, regional council, companies and non-governmental organizations, and involves a video contest organized every year in which apprentices film themselves at their workplace. The tool aims to emphasize the value of apprentices, apprenticeships and trades (on all levels) and make these trades better known among young people. It also aims to tackle prejudices about apprenticeship training.

“Your first day” shoots 360-degree films about various professions and makes them available throughout Germany to all interested schools, free of charge and with all the necessary technology. This resource allows young people get to know career paths and companies that they would not otherwise have access to. It offer companies the opportunity to digitally open the doors of their production, office or business premises and introduce themselves to future professionals.

In Switzerland, career orientation is an integral part of compulsory schooling with special lessons dedicated to it. Through “pre-vocational traineeships”, students spend a few days with an employer to gain an insight into a profession that interests them. Schools cooperate closely with specialized career guidance and counselling services at the local level, staffed by professional counsellors. Their services are free for compulsory school-aged pupils and for young people who have left compulsory school. National online platforms provide additional information on various IVET and CVET professions and career paths.

The search for open apprenticeship positions usually takes place in the open market but it is facilitated by various online platforms and services where employers can advertise their openings. In the event of difficulties, vocational guidance and counselling services help young people to find an apprenticeship position.

The Careers Portal website focuses on providing information to young people seeking post-school opportunities. It publishes the latest information on apprenticeships, learnerships, internships, college courses, bursaries and other related content.

The Apprenticeship handbook provides a wide range of useful material for would-be apprentices in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It details the potential benefits of apprenticeship, the length and content of programmes and the practical steps which an individual needs to take to become an apprentice. It describes the different trades in which apprenticeship is possible and the arrangements for certification, and sets out the options for financial assistance.

The Best practice guide: Youth career programs has been compiled by the apprenticeship employment network, with input from GTOs, youth, schools and employers, who have been involved in over 170 pre-apprenticeship programmes during the period 2016–18.

The aim of the guide is to assist young people in making better informed career choices; provide work-ready candidates and recruitment support for SMEs and improve non-completion rates in apprenticeships and traineeships.

GTOs have been encouraged to design unique pilot programmes to deliver a blend of career guidance, work experience, job-search and industry information to young people seeking a career in industries making use of vocational skills. The many successful programmes designed and delivered to date have been evaluated to determine common themes and best practices to assist with the development of the guide.           

In Germany, the craft sector has been running a campaign in which a mix of different media is used to attract young people to become qualified craftspersons. The video clip for the 2018 campaign can be found here:

https://handwerk.de/erfuellung.

The website also provides information for young people about apprenticeships and helps them to identify their specific career preferences:

https://handwerk.de/berufechecker.

“Inspiring the Future” is a national online match-making platform that connects schools and colleges with volunteers from a range of sectors and professions that match their particular requirements. This tool gives students the opportunity to hear at first-hand the experiences of working people who can inspire and motivate young people regarding their future education and training choices and make them aware of different routes into a career.

The platform is free and easy to use. Teachers register their school or college and select and invite people who best meet the needs of their students, while volunteers register and select a number of areas of expertise that might be of interest to students.

The platform has over 40,000 volunteers registered throughout the United Kingdom, representing a broad range of roles, from apprentices to CEOs, and from all different age groups. Volunteers can support schools and colleges through a variety of activities, including talks on apprenticeship and careers, careers fairs, CV workshops, mock interviews, mentoring and workplace visits.

Through the “Bridge to Work” initiative, Loughborough College helps young people aged 14 to 18 years old to gain an insight into employers’ expectations before they apply for jobs or apprenticeships. In part, this is achieved through collaborative conferencing and social software.

The Bridge to Work team sets up a series of webinars using conferencing software to bring together students and employers in local and national firms. Through the webinars, students gain first-hand knowledge of what employability entails, as well as developing confidence and skills in talking to employers. Furthermore, apprentices currently on placement provide their personal insights, bringing the culture of the workplace to life for students who are still at college.

In Austria, the online portal for career planning “BIC.at” provides descriptions for more than 2 000 occupations and details the requisite qualifications. The occupations can be explored in various ways through the career information menu, including alphabetical search, occupational group search and an education and training pathway search for those occupations that require similar qualifications. The website also offers tips about what should be considered when choosing a qualification or an occupation, and contains several practical worksheets.