A personal note today, sparked by a conversation I had this morning amidst the chaos of a 6-week kitchen renovation. As I was leaving for the office, a young joiner arrived at my house, dropped off by his dad, as he can’t drive yet and waiting for his boss to start the day’s work.
At just 17 years old, he impressed me with his politeness, confidence, and engaging conversation. We got talking about his journey from school to work a significant “transition,” as he aptly called it. It made me reflect on how challenging this shift can be for school leavers. He described how his biggest adjustment was moving from a flexible schedule in his final year of school to the structure and demands of a full-time job. No more moving from class to class or having the safety net of familiar faces and routines. Now, he’s working alongside experienced adults, adapting to a new environment, and learning the ropes of a demanding trade.
One of the things he mentioned was the shorter lunch breaks, usually around 20-30 minutes, as everyone likes to keep moving to finish early. It’s a far cry from the longer breaks and varied schedule of school life. He even joked about having to listen to “adult” conversations, including his boss discussing his wife’s menopause with me today as he was struggling to support her, an eye-opener for sure for our Apprentice Joiner!
This conversation got me thinking: Are our schools and colleges really preparing young people for the realities of the working world? Or is the responsibility falling more heavily on parents, who might not always be equipped to guide them through this transition or kids wanting to hear it from parents or relatives.
This is where schools working closely with mentors from the business world and integrating work experience weeks can make a real difference. Such initiatives help embed the realities of the workplace early on, giving students a taste of what’s to come and helping them develop the skills and mindset needed to thrive. However, with some of the support groups that are already in place facing budget restrictions and some programs being cancelled, a pressing question arises: Who picks up the gaps to help all school leavers as young as 16 and university students adapt?
The challenge is even more significant for those who may be the first person in their household to enter the workforce. Without anyone at home who can help them understand what it’s like to work full-time, these young people often face the journey alone, lacking the guidance and support that others might take for granted. Equally challenging in today’s world is the shift toward remote work. How do we train school leavers for a work environment where they might be working from home, sometimes in isolation? Not everyone has the personality to cope with remote work, as many people need human interaction to stay motivated and engaged. Preparing our young people for this reality is another crucial step in ensuring they are ready to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
What are your thoughts? How can we better prepare our school leavers for this critical transition?
