In our latest Business Surrey blog,ย Georgia Edwards, Surrey Careers Hub’s Enterprise Coordinator for South West Surrey, explains how employers play a vital role in shaping the future workforce, and the various ways in which your business can get involved.
By opening your doors to students and educators, you can help bridge the gap between education and employment, inspire young people, and build a stronger local talent pipeline. Through modern work experience initiatives including Open Doors and curriculum enriching programmes like Teacher Encounters, Surrey Careers Hub is making it easier than ever for businesses to engage with their future workforce.
Why Employer Engagement Matters
Workplace experiences are transformative for young people. They help students understand how their studies connect to real-world careers, build motivation, and make informed decisions about their future. For employers, these engagements offer a chance to:
- Showcase your sector and career pathways
- Build relationships with local schools and colleges
- Contribute to the development of future talent
- Influence curriculum relevance.
Open Doors: supporting experiences of the workplace
The Open Doors programme invites employers to host in-person visits for students, offering them a first-hand look at your workplace. These visits typically include:
- Site tours and demonstrations of emerging technologies
- Q&A sessions with employees to highlight diverse roles and skills
- Practical activities or challenges
- Insights into early careers pathways, including apprenticeships and T Levels
- Opportunities for feedback and reflection.
These experiences align with Gatsby Benchmark 6, which focuses on meaningful workplace encounters. Employers receive support to tailor visits to student needs, including accessibility considerations and safeguarding guidance.
Download the Open Doors Employer Toolkit for more information and to get started.
Teacher Encounters: empowering educators to inspire
The Teacher Encounters programme connects educators with local employers, helping them understand how their subjects apply in the workplace. Teachers gain insight into:
- Skills and qualifications valued by employers
- Local businesses and labour market trends
- Recruitment processes and vocational routes
- Career pathways linked to their curriculum.
These encounters have proven highly impactful. According to the 2025 Impact Report:
- 100% of employers provided greater visibility and understanding of their business as a potential employment destination
- 86% of teachers understand the full range of job roles and careers in the current labour market that are linked to their subject
- 100% of employers recognise the value of engaging with schools and colleges and would participate in the programme again
Read more about the 2025 programme here, and read the 2025 Impact Report here.
How you can get involved
Whether you’re new to employer engagement or looking to expand your outreach, Surrey Careers Hub offers practical support and resources. Hereโs how you can start:
- Use the Employer Checklist in the Open Doors toolkit to plan a visit
- Connect with a Careers Leader to tailor your activity to student needs
- Offer a Teacher Encounter to build long-term relationships with educators
- Review your education outreach to ensure it is inclusive and impactful โ Employer Standards: Shaping your workforce of tomorrow
Letโs Shape the Future Workforce Together
By participating in these programmes, youโre not just offering a visit, youโre opening minds, broadening horizons, building futures, and strengthening your community. Join us in making a lasting impact.
If youโd like to explore any of these collaboration opportunities with a local school, college, SEND or alternative provision, get in touch today – contact Surrey Careers Hub: careers.hub@surreycc.gov.uk.
