New Modern Apprenticeship Recruitment Site Launched

January 2017 saw the launch of the completely re-designed Mappit website. The brand new look, colour scheme and search features deliver a much more user friendly interface, for both employers and training providers adding Modern Apprenticeship vacancies and for young people searching and applying for jobs. The site is now mobile-friendly and can be used on tablets and smartphones.

One of the top new features of Mappit is that it integrates with the Planit website. So, for young people who have a Planit Portfolio, they can use the same login for Mappit. Also, if they have a CV saved in their Portfolio they can use that to apply for a job. Not only that, but vacancies now appear in job profiles, so, for example, if there is an engineering or hairdressing Modern Apprenticeship vacancy in Mappit, it will appear in the relevant job profile in Planit.

Using a combination of marketing emails and Twitter, we have attracted a wide range of companies to advertise their vacancies on Mappit, including Jaguar Land Rover, Scot JCB, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and GTG Training. There have been vacancies available all over Scotland, from Inverness to Galashiels.

We’ve had great feedback from training providers registered to advertise on Mappit, including Microcom Training, who said that the site was really straightforward and easy to use. Schools have also found our vacancy alert emails helpful, confirming that they are advertising Mappit vacancies to their pupils.

Check out the new look website at www.mappit.org.uk

Online SQA Work Placement Unit – New Development Underway

Gateway is working on an exciting new project to develop an online version of SQA’s Work Placement Unit. The new Unit will include editable assessment templates, based on worksheets developed by SQA. An e-portfolio area will hold any additional evidence that pupils provide to support their assessment.

Additional evidence may include: word files, scanned documents or images, digital photographs, voice recordings or small video files.

This allows students to keep all their evidence for the qualification in one place. Students can complete and submit online templates and upload related evidence to the e-portfolio. Teachers and tutors delivering the Unit will be able to access students’ evidence quickly and easily.

The system will include a new student management system. Teachers and tutors will be able to review and assess evidence online, monitor students’ progress and verify that the outcomes and assessment standards required by the Unit have been met. The coordinators’ home page will be updated so that it is easy to see when students have submitted work to be assessed.

We will be embedding the new online Unit in WorkIT, our work placement administration system. We plan to launch it at the beginning of the next academic session. It will be suitable for students completing the Unit at SCQF Levels 3, 4 and 5. In the next phase of development we will include Level 6 resources.

A stand-alone version of the system may be developed at a later stage for those schools not using WorkIT, if there is sufficient demand.

We have also started to develop a bank of online learning resources relevant to the outcomes of the Unit and the work placement itself, for example a ‘Thank You’ letter template and Health & Safety briefing materials. These will be designed to support the delivery of the Unit and should be available later in the first term of the new session.

One essential resource will be the online Workplace Learning Plan, which incorporates a daily learning log. A downloadable paper version of both the Work Placement Unit record and the Workplace Learning Plan will also be available. The Learning Plan can be used on its own or in conjunction with the Unit.

If you would like more information about the development of the new system please contact:

Linda Wilkie
Assistant Service Manager
Email: linda.wilkie@ceg.org.uk

Planit Powers Ahead

Since it was redesigned and launched last June Planit has seen a massive surge in visitor numbers. User sessions have increased by almost 40% this year!

Some of the credit for this has to go to our new Planit Pocket Guides, which we issued to secondary schools last summer. Copies can be downloaded from the ‘Quick Links’ menu option on Planit’s home page. We’d like to thank all of our loyal readers for their continued support. Why not follow Planit on Twitter too? You’ll find us @planitcareers and take a look at Planit at www.planitplus.net.

Developing the Young Workforce

Gateway has formed positive relationships with the established DYW regional groups within the areas who receive a work placement management service from Gateway. By working together we will hopefully see a marked improvement in employer/school relationships and an increase in employers who can offer work placements.

WorkIT Supports DYW Placements Standard

We’ve been working hard to make sure that WorkIT, our work placement management system, helps schools and local authorities to meet the expectations set out in the DYW Work Placements Standard.

As a result we’ve added a wealth of new features to WorkIT. These include:

• a facility for schools to record information on their partnerships with employers, including the types of support each employer can offer
• the ability to record information on pupils attending employability related events and activities
• ‘before and after’ placement impact questionnaires for pupils, which local authorities can customize to meet the needs of their own pupils
• making WorkIT’s public and pupil pages mobile friendly
• a new promotional page for employers.

We are also developing a new online SQA Work Placement Unit, which we’ll embed in WorkIT, together with related support materials including a Workplace Learning Plan.

If you would like to know more about recent developments to WorkIT please contact:

Pauline Munro
Senior Work Placement Officer
Email: pauline.munro@ceg.org.uk

New Apprenticeship/Taster Weeks Feature

This is another new feature we’ve added to WorkIT! As you know, some employers offer apprenticeship/taster weeks that are only available on one or two dates throughout the year, for example NHS Taster Weeks. The new feature lets all schools see and apply for these placements, not just those that happen to have their work placement weeks on those two or three dates.

WorkIT Promo Page

Last year we launched the WorkIT Promo Page www.workit.info/promo to make more employers aware of how to get involved in supporting work placements. The link to the page has been sent out to schools and can be used in email signatures or anywhere that could have an impact.

Employers can easily register their interest in getting involved by completing an initial on-line enquiry form, which goes directly to their local authority work placement contact.

Gateway Engage – New Responsive Template

Gateway Engage, our Content Management System, now has a responsive template. This is based on the most recent school template with options for schools to upload a header banner as well as a school logo.

This template adapts to the device the user is using to access the site so it can be accessed anywhere on any device. The menu is viewed by clicking on the hamburger icon and allows the user to select the section or page they wish to view.