education & business roundtable 29


Birkett said the Science Park was a bridge in itself, providing relevant jobs for graduates. He also noted that the IP of many award-winners in the Test Valley Technology and Innovation Awards was ”traceable back to educational establishments in this region”.


Collier suggested building a ’virtual bridge’: ”Why don’t we make a website where you can pitch whatever you can bring to the table. Students can post their great ideas, and business angels have a place where they can go to find an idea that suits their funding ambitions.”


Whitaker suggested some such sites already existed in the US. For example www.vator.tv


Vocation v education


Murray queried if universities were providing the right type of potential employees for businesses.


Birkett: ”Businesses are not necessarily worried about students having business skills, but they do want them to have a sound educational basis.”


Ramsden: ”We want people who are numerate, computer literate and have the skills that we need. Then we will give those skills our own business relevance.”


Birkett: ”The worrying thing is not the quality of their knowledge, but the declining numbers of students within the physical sciences and engineering disciplines.”


Heathcock: ”There is an argument about the distinction between pure and vocational subjects. Solent University has pushed on the vocational side and has good employability statistics, whereas Southampton concentrates more on the pure subjects and research studies.”


Look back down the funnel! Wake up and smell the ice!


Wilkinson: ”Employers are telling us that there are skill shortages in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subject areas, and I would trace that back partly to the school system. It’s difficult at university level to correct issues that are about basic numeracy not caught at the school stage and inculcating a passion for physical sciences. That is why we are working with schools and employers on programmes to intervene in schools in these subject areas.


”It also goes back to our UK society which does not have the regard for an engineer or scientist, as they do for example in Germany, and that goes through to remuneration levels. People who studied sciences with me at university went to the City to employ their numeracy skills in finance and insurance and earn more money.


”We can’t say that we want to encourage young people to go into STEM subjects and R&D unless as employers we are prepared to pay the going rate. There is a global race to attract and retain the best scientific talent.”


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JUNE 2011


Stark: ”Look back down the funnel. If the student does not take the right kind of GCSEs they are not going to take the right A-levels and won’t come into university to study stem subjects. The funnel isn’t pushing through enough students for us to create a strong stem. But, it is pushing through loads of students who want to do media and creative industries because through our social culture they see it as glamorous. As universities, we put on the courses to meet that demand.


”Things needs to change way back down the line and we are currently working with local junior schools to excite them about science and show them it is fun. For example, we have a polar explorer who is Skyping back information, and the kids are asking: ’What does the polar icecap smell like?’


Are apprenticeships an answer?


Murray asked if apprenticeships were perceived as a good thing for businesses to get involved in. Tellingly, one comment was: ”There is always a lot of talk about them, but I am not quite sure what the current scheme and business incentives are for apprenticeships.”


Pike admitted that her company had created its own 18-month modern apprenticeship structure, linking to university studies where possible. ”We are not necessarily seeking incentives and we don’t mind taking school leavers or people who are just looking to change their career.


Donaldson said UK businesses are clamouring for UK vocational apprenticeship schemes linked to HE ”because they are having to go into Europe and beyond to recruit employees with suitable skills in engineering, construction etc.”


Pike: ”We are embarking on modern apprenticeship schemes taking in 16-18 year olds at present, and looking to link up with relevant educational establishment to provide the right vocational qualification. Trying to find that establishment offering courses and qualifications in key business disciplines is actually proving to be quite challenging. Hopefully we’ll be able to support apprentices to a degree level of education providing we can work with an educational provider who supports our business requirements.”


Wilkinson spoke of an apprentice currently within Solent University. ”To get the public funding locally, that person had to be classified as a NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) so essentially you are looking at quite a long career journey requiring considerable support.


”I get dismayed when people talk about reconstructing the great divide between the vocational and the academic. I have no problem with the concept that some people are more vocationally oriented but I think we need to provide bridges at every point so that if those people develop and they can benefit from further or higher education, then they should be able to go on eventually to degree level.


www.businessmag.co.uk Jo Stark


Can academia teach entrepreneurship?


”Sadly, No! It’s an instinct people are born with,” came the consensus roundtable reply.


Wilkinson: ”What you can teach are the business processes around entrepreneurship.” Southampton Solent University plans to boost its support for student entrepreneurs (up to 36 per year) with a new programme including education and training, mentoring, advice on funding, how to make a Dragons Den business case, registering intellectual property, and marketing a company.”


Continued on page 31


Michael Moores


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