Can Schools Really Prepare Teens for Work? Mark Blair on Meta Skills, Sport and Real Jobs

The Business Babble

Former pro rugby player and Effective Now founder Mark Blair joins Business Babble to tackle a big question: are schools preparing young people for the modern workplace, or are we leaving a massive skills gap for employers to solve?

In this episode we unpack how meta skills and soft skills like confidence, resilience and communication are built through sport and real-world experiences, why many CVs miss the mark, and how businesses can partner with schools to create meaningful pathways into work. We also hear how Effective Now’s SCQF-accredited programme helps the “grey middle” of pupils who are neither high-attainers nor in targeted support, and why experiential learning beats one-off team bonding days.

What you’ll learn

• The difference between team bonding and true team development
• Why three in four young people lack workplace skills, and what to do about it
• How sport transfers to leadership, delegation and communication at work
• Practical employability tips for teens: CV strategy, interview mindset, phone skills
• The apprenticeship dilemma for SMEs and how to invest in the right people
• How business–school partnerships open real careers in engineering, tech, sales, admin and more
• Why performance beats presenteeism, and how to build confident, resilient young teams

Who this is for

Employers, school leaders, careers advisers, parents and young people who want clear, practical routes from school to sustainable work.