Case study
small company with just a few employees this
can be quite disruptive if you have 15 or 20
students wandering around. So some fi rms are
limited as to how far they can get involved.”
Using its business links with other
Fancy a date?
companies, Brompton is now piloting ways
of reaching teachers and schools by off ering
Been on a successful date recently? Andrew Galletley from the
lesson plans and ideas about some of the
topics they can cover with their students.
Staf_f ordshire Partnership looks at fostering employer relationships
T_h is is being done through the creation
of a portal on company websites that can be
T_h e dating agency
accessed by schools all over the country.
As a broker of employer links for the Staff ordshire Education Business Partnership
“We want to support teachers by providing
in Stoke-on-Trent, I often feel like I am running a dating agency. I see my work as a
them with information that is relevant, so
professional facilitator and spend a lot of my time bringing industry and commerce into
they can use it in their lessons,” Mr Butler-
contact with schools and colleges.
Adams said. “T_h is would mean we could
reach pupils much further afi eld than just
T_h e introductions
within our locality. If more companies did
Schools must know exactly what they are looking for from employers. On the fi rst meeting,
this we could get a database of lesson plans
both parties often tread carefully exploring possibilities and fi nding out if they get on.
involving engineering, creating a means
Remember you never get a second chance to make a good fi rst impression. It is good to talk!
by which it becomes easier for teachers to
get the necessary information for more
T_h e fi rst sparks of success
interesting lessons.
I love to accompany teaching staff when they fi rst encounter a new employer. After the
“We want to create an environment where
initial small talk, they soon fi nd areas of mutual interest and the exchanges become more
we can get better value out of people and
animated.
enable them to have a greater impact on the
Whether their mutual interest be engineering, IT, retail sales or business and fi nance,
education infrastructure.”
there soon comes a point when I am left out of their conversations. Success!
Meanwhile, Brompton itself sells its
At this point, they are excitedly comparing mutual professional interest in each other’s
products in almost 200 selected shops
specifi c areas of expertise. After a while, they have so many ideas that they are nearing
around the country. T_h e company is
overload. T_h is is when the “broker” reins them in and helps them focus on two or three
planning to set up a system when teachers
realistic aims which can be achieved.
can loan a cycle from a local retailer and
It is important at this point to summarise what has been said and focus on the most
take it to school so that pupils can see how
realistic and achievable ideas. It is the broker’s expertise and experience of other successful
it is made and put together. Closer to home,
engagements that enables the best ideas to be actioned.
the company is actively in discussions with
schools with a view to pupils visiting its
T_h e engagement
factory, so they can see for themselves the
As the employer and teaching staff work on this fi rst target or project they are gaining in
manufacturing process, and where staff will
confi dence. Trust is growing between the two parties and as they work together they realise
go into schools and colleges to speak to
limitations and future possibilities.
learners about their work. Work placements
It is important that these early links are successful and attainable and this is where the
for Diploma students will also be available.
nurturing role of the broker is vital. As the relationship with the company develops, employees
“We believe that many of the best people
who were not initially present when the introductions were made often get involved and
are not considering certain careers because
usually are surprised to fi nd that they enjoy working with students. Success breeds success.
they are unaware of what engineering
involves, and are unaware of what is on
T_h e sustainable relationship
off er,” Mr Butler-Adams said. “We need
Having built on earlier successes, the sustainable relationship develops over years of
to raise awareness at an earlier age. At the
working together. Pet projects and activities become regular events in both the school/
moment, even with graduates, we see a big
college and the business calendar. Sometimes groups of employers join in enriching
gap between what they are learning and their
educational activities and work-based learning becomes the norm for students rather than
knowledge of the real world.
an occasional experience.
“As a result, employers taking them on
Employers can often be persuaded to share
tend to spend the fi rst 12 years fi lling in
their success with others and may attend
those gaps. If we can get good Diploma
conferences and networking events, taking
students who have a feel for and insight into
part and often leading workshops to share
the subject, then this process would become
examples of best practice.
far easier in the future.” DD
• Andrew Galletley is the district education
For more case studies and
business co-ordinator for Stoke-on-Trent working
articles, make sure you visit
for the Staff ordshire Partnership.
www.deliveringdiplomas.com
Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 1 Spring 2010 37
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