The programme is a Social Enterprise venture in conjunction with UnLtd, the UK’s biggest Social Enterprise funder.

You can watch the full video with the player below.

On Monday 26th October Ann Starkie was interviewed on Radio 4 by Carolyn Quinn on the topic of careers education in primary schools for children as young as 7 years old.

The debate which was raised by the announcement of Ed Balls Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families that children at this younger age would benefit from careers education and learning.

This is currently being tested out in a number of pilot schemes in selected primary schools in the UK.

Ann Starkie is currently running a separately funded primary school careers education project in Tuckswood Primary School in Norwich and was on the programme giving evidence of how her pilot scheme is working with Year 6 students.

Click here to listen to the Radio 4 PM interview

UnLtd is the biggest funders of social entrepreneurs in the world and offers funding to help get projects off the ground. UnLtd is a national charity which was formed in 2000 to promote and develop the major contribution social entrepreneurs make to society.

Who are UnLtd Award Winners?

UnLtd award winners are social entrepreneurs who are visionary and want to change the world.

They may do this by taking a problem in their local community and making a commitment to tackle it. A true social entrepreneur will make a difference.

Ann Starkie’s project helping primary school children

The project that Ann is involved in is to promote aspirations in Tuckswood Primary School in Year 6 pupils before they go onto secondary school.

The aim of the project was to widen and raise their career ideas, which in turn would lead to higher attainment at school and nuturing learning.

To get the award a bid has to be accepted for Level 1 award is £500-5000 to help run the project, fund resources, and allow the pupils to go to employers and for employers to come to visit the pupils and perform workshops for the school.

This way the pupils would get a real view of opportunities open to them, and in a practical way.  The project had to show clear outputs and goals alongisde learning experience and opportunity.

Further information

For more information on UnLtd and the different levels of awards on offer go to www.unltd.org.uk.

For a description of the project please see the article in Career Guidance Today September 2009 edition.  Please go to the ICG website www.icg-uk.org search publications.

Back copies of Career Guidance Today 2009 can be ordered directly from ICG (subject to stock) at a cost of £2.50 each. Earlier back issues are not available from the Institute.

Winning cover letters for first-time job hunters, published by Trotman, is aimed to help young people 14-20 year olds to get their first job whether this is from school, further education or university.

The book is £12.99 available to order now

For further information on Visit Trotman Publishing

Topics covered include

• How to layout a professional cover letter
• What should you put in a cover letter and what you should leave out
• How to highlight skills, qualities and experience you have to offer an employer
• How to target your letter effectively
• Real examples of cover letters
• Real comments from employers, training providers and recruitment agencies

Readers comments

“In the current economic climate young people are in need of practical help to get shortlisted.

Ann has produced a practical guide that will be of great benefit to both young people and for use by those who advise them.

A welcome edition to every career professionals library.”

Denise Taylor
Award winning career coach and founder of www.amazingpeople.co.uk

• Take time to consider what you actually want to do

  Sometimes redundancy is an opportunity to rethink your career path.

• Update your CV or if you haven’t got one write one

  This will allow you time to reflect on your past skills and experience and remember things you may well have forgotten. If you don’t know how to write a CV there are many books available from libraries or seek advice from an agency or careers adviser.

• Make a list of skills, abilities, experience and qualities you have to offer a future employer.

  Think how best you could sell these. Have you a past-time or something in your interests that stands out you could utilise in future employment.

• Use your CV to look at gaps in your experience

  Do you need to update certain skills or gain experience in another area to make you more desirable to future employers? Think about using your time positively by gaining further education or seeking out temporary work or placements.

• Make a list of everyone you know professionally

  Include contacts from up to 5 years ago who are currently working. This is how to start networking by building outwards from contacts you already have.  They may not be able to offer you work directly but may have knowledge of firms that can or suggest other avenues for you to try.

• Write a letter to your network contacts

  Not asking them for jobs but for advice they may have or where they see possible opportunities in the future. If you ask for information and not jobs then it is less embarrassing for the recipient and you are much more likely to get a response. For advice on these type of covering letters contact local advice agencies, careers advisers or the business section of your main library.

• Gain as many contacts in your area of work

  Or agency contacts that can help. Listen to the radio for help being offered and consider websites that update you locally. This would include local paper websites with vacancies, agency websites and listings, specific job search engines relating to your industry or an area of work you are looking for.

• Nurture yourself

  Focus on the positive action you can take not on why it happened, how it happened or anything in the past.  If you find this difficult try to establish a routine and a target for example planning visiting recruitment agencies, or responding to certain vacancies by the end of the week. Keep focused and remember less is more so concentrate on quality of applications rather than quantity.