Youth Vocational Pathways & Schools Engagement Officer

Help young people discover what\’s possible and build the pathways to get them there. As a Youth Vocational Pathways and Schools Engagement Officer, you\’ll help shape the futures of young people in Kensington and Chelsea – particularly those who might not follow a traditional route through education. It\’s a chance to break down barriers, open up options and work directly with young people, schools and employers to build real opportunities. Help young people discover what\’s possible and build the pathways to get them there. As a Youth Vocational Pathways and Schools Engagement Officer, you\’ll help shape the futures of young people in Kensington and Chelsea – particularly those who might not follow a traditional route through education. It\’s a chance to break down barriers, open up options and work directly with young people, schools and employers to build real opportunities. Working Style: You\’ll be based in the Borough at least 4 days a week, playing a key role in serving the local community. Whether you\’re working on the frontline or behind the scenes, you\’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents\’ lives. What you\’ll be doing: Your focus will be making sure young people – especially those aged 14 to 19, or up to 25 with an EHCP – know what\’s out there for them. You\’ll champion vocational pathways as a valid, valued option and support young people who may be at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training). This means working closely with colleagues across Children\’s Services, including the Youth Justice, Family Services and Virtual School teams, as well as schools, colleges, training providers and youth hubs. You\’ll co-develop training programmes, build relationships with employers and create sessions that give young people meaningful insight into different industries. You\’ll also be the voice of the young people you support – engaging with them directly and through the Youth Participation Team to make sure what you offer is relevant and grounded in their interests and ambitions. You\’ll play a key part on our work on alternative qualifications such as T Levels and will also help build long-term partnerships with businesses – supporting them to create vocational routes into employment and securing placements, apprenticeships and experiences that make a difference. In addition, you\’ll lead in developing and keeping our CRM system up to date with opportunities. For further details, please review the Job Description and Person Specification. What you\’ll bring: You\’ll bring a strong understanding of vocational education, training programmes and the barriers some young people face in accessing them. You\’ve worked in or with schools or education settings before and know how to build positive relationships with both professionals and students. You\’re confident working with employers across different sectors, helping them understand how they can support young people – and you\’re just as comfortable designing new sessions as you are supporting young people. You\’re organised and proactive, with the ability to set up and manage systems that support your work and track impact. You\’re also a great communicator – someone who knows how to listen and respond, and who understands the value of collaboration. Most importantly, you\’re someone who believes in the potential of every young person – and who\’s ready to do the work to help them see it too. Why join us At RBKC, we\’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future. This is a new role with huge potential. You\’ll be shaping something from the ground up – with backing from senior leaders and the freedom to be creative in your approach. It\’s a chance to step into a space where you can try new things, connect different parts of the system, and create something meaningful for the young people who need it most. You\’ll be part of a wider team that values energy, curiosity and practical action – and you\’ll have access to the support and development you need to grow in your role. About us Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough. As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all. In this role, you\’ll be a vital connector – between schools and employers, services and opportunities, and young people and their futures. You\’ll bring energy, empathy and determination to work that really matters – and see the impact of your efforts, every day. Interview Details Interviews to commence face to face on 18th & 20th August 2025. Ready to join us? We\’re all in – are you? If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we\’d love to hear from you. Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description. We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants. We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.