Opinion
The heart
of change
The Diploma Employer Champions Network consists of leading figures from the world of business who are fierce
advocates of the Diploma. Lead champion, Sir Alan Jones, explains why employer involvement is crucial
s the new Diplomas continue their Our survey found that 66 per cent of employers
A
steady roll out with five new lines and say that transferable skills picked up through
increasing numbers of young people signing work experience, such as team-working and
up in september 2009, we see continuing communication, are crucial if young people are to
signs that more employers are backing Diplomas. land a good job, and 55 per cent say that appearance
That’s because they are in line with employer needs and and attitude are important.
give young people a career headstart through an insight There are good indications that the different
into the world of work – this is the critical point. approach is working. Diploma results after the
I, like so many employers, got involved with first year of teaching show good retention and as
Diplomas because I was frustrated by the ability of an indication of employer support, the Diploma
young people applying to join the business world. We employer Champions Network itself has grown to
need young people coming into our businesses to have over 150 champions, including a mix of household
the core skills of english, maths and ICt. We need names and smaller organisations, public and private,
young people to enter employment with an enthusiasm across sectors and throughout the english regions.
for our sectors, an ability to apply their learning and a The relationship between business and education
desire to keep on learning and improving to face the is changing. We’ve had radical curriculum reform
challenges of our ever-changing world. which moves work-related learning and employer
In the past, we have struggled because young engagement to the heart of what young people learn;
people, regardless of whether they have GCses, we have in the launch of the Institute for education
A levels or degrees, have entered employment without Business excellence, a welcome and essential move
the core knowledge, skills and attitudes that support to professionalise education/business brokerage; and,
productivity and competitiveness. These attributes are with the launch of the new employer taskforce in
even more important in the current economic recession. October 2009, an unprecedented attempt to bring
I head up the Diploma employer Champions together senior voices from the worlds of employment
Network, which in partnership with Young enterprise and education to inspire teachers and employers to
carried out some research and interviews with senior want to work together.
business figures on work-related learning this summer. The desire to work in partnership is strong, as
Our poll found that 82 per cent of employers outlined by sir terry Leahy, tesco CeO: “Retail is a
surveyed in england believe that work experience people business and developing the skills and training
increases employability. At a time when youth of your staff must be a central part of a business’s
unemployment is reaching record levels, employers overall strategy and not a box-ticking exercise. That
value the opportunity to get involved with Diplomas, is why we are working closely in partnerships to help
not simply because of the cost to society, but more shape the Retail Diploma.” DD
because of the waste of young people’s lives and talent.
Young people who are not in employment, • Sir Alan Jones is chairman emeritus of Toyota UK,
education or training are often not stimulated by chairman of Semta, and 14 to 19 Diploma Champion for
the existing subjects and current learning styles in Employers.
school, so the Diploma can offer real opportunities.
The Diploma brings learning to life by offering real Further information
work experience and showing how classroom learning For more on the Institute for education Business
applies to the world of work. excellence, visit www.nebpn.org
Delivering Diplomas • Volume 1 No 1 Autumn 2009 11
10-11 opinion.indd 9 18/9/09 15:28:21
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