UK EDUCATION
mathematics. While Britain has risen slightly up the tables, it still falls behind many other countries in maths and science. Neil Carberry, the CBI’s director for people and skills, believes
the PISA report should serve as a wake-up call to British business. “The drop in England’s overall performance will be a concern to
businesses, as well as to thousands of schoolteachers across the country who are doing a very challenging job. It’s particularly concerning as, in the CBI’s latest report on regional growth, our research shows that the fundamental driver of economic performance is education. “Businesses have a key role to play in improving every school across
the country through joining governing bodies, offering clear routes to high-quality apprenticeships, careers advice and work experience.”
Getting ready for work Further evidence to support the urgent need for an effective approach to business and education collaboration came earlier this year in an OFSTED report which claimed that the nation’s future economic prosperity was being put at risk because the majority of England’s schools were failing to give sufficient priority to ‘enterprise education’ and work-related learning. The report, Getting Ready for Work, found that only four of the
40 secondary schools visited by inspectors demonstrated successful coordination between education and business. “The career choices that young people make can be informed
by the practical experience they gain at school,” said former chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw. “It is really important that schools are providing the right opportunities, working effectively with local businesses to offer their pupils the chance to understand how businesses work.”
Forging education and business links The CBI, in partnership with the Royal Society, has taken the lead in driving a programme of business and education links. In a joint report, Making Education Your Business: A Practical Guide to Supporting STEM Teaching in Schools and Colleges, the two organisations set out their belief that the key to supporting STEM education in the UK was for businesses to collaborate more successfully with teachers. According to the latest Education and Skills Survey from the CBI
and Pearson Education, the picture is a positive one, with 70 per cent of British businesses already forging links with at least one school or college. But, with a growing skills gap and STEM workforce shortage, there remains much to be done to support education and the rapidly shifting requirements of our modern world. “Inspirational teachers clearly have a central role to play
in showing young people that studying STEM will help them take advantage of the exciting opportunities our increasingly technologically driven and globally connected world has to offer,” said Professor Tom McLeish, chairman of the Royal Society’s Education Committee. “By working together with teachers and forging strong links with
schools and colleges, businesses can support STEM teaching and invest in the UK’s future workforce. Many UK businesses already use their skills and know-how to have a positive impact in schools and colleges across the UK.” Neil Carberry agrees. “Many industries rely on a supply of science
talent, at both graduate and technician level, but shortages are appearing that will hold our economy back. Businesses of all sizes are facing a serious challenge to access enough of these skills to compete and grow, so we must equip more young people with the skills that will create flourishing careers and allow them take advantage of future opportunities.”
Exploring career pathways For post-16 students from low-income communities, Deloitte has developed a successful ‘access’ programme, which provides insights into technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) trends. Students can explore potential careers in the sector and develop their interpersonal skills by pitching business ideas. For example, participants have been challenged to develop an
idea for a YouTube channel with a viable revenue source, design a new smartphone, or identify business-to-business uses for drones. Deloitte works with 18 schools, and offers its own staff as ‘access
volunteers’. They visit schools and offer leadership role-modelling and careers guidance. Juliet Horton is a teacher at the City of London Academy, Islington,
which has been a Deloitte Access partner for three years. “Deloitte Access volunteers serve as positive role models for our students,” she says, “leading book groups, mentoring year 11 students, and providing essential careers guidance through a variety of events. “For many of our students, this exposure to young, vibrant
professionals has helped them raise their aspirations and ambitions and changed their life chances.”
Inspiring the future The charity Education and Employers Taskforce helps schools and colleges to find effective partnerships with employers and provide young people with inspiration, knowledge, skills and opportunities. In partnership with Unilever, the charity hosted a special Inspiring
the Future event at Wirral Grammar School for Girls. Unilever’s CEO, Paul Polman, and 35 Unilever volunteers, who ranged from apprentices to experienced employees, shared their experiences with 150 pupils from local state schools, and answered questions about their jobs, career paths and educational choices. The event aimed to introduce young people to the opportunities
available, and to break down stereotypes by giving them the chance to meet people of both sexes in a range of roles, some of which might previously have been slanted towards a particular gender. Volunteers included female engineering apprentices, scientists and
project managers. Elaine Cogan, head of Wirral Grammar School for Girls, said, “Post-18 education choices are changing, and many more pupils will be seeking vocational and technical training in the future. Having professionals from Unilever talk to the students and inspire them about the range of career paths available to them is invaluable.”
Supporting STEM teachers IBM has a long-standing work experience programme to inspire students about careers in the STEM sector. The company was one of the first to recognise the need to support teachers who might not have first-hand experience of the industry. The STEM Insight programme brings teachers into businesses on
a two-week placement, to help them develop a better understanding of STEM industries. It is followed by a course of professional development delivered by the National STEM Learning Centre and Network. IBM is helping to identify emerging labour-market needs in an
evolving workplace with ever-changing technological demands. A teacher commented, “Participating in [the STEM Insight programme] has been an amazing opportunity to experience the working environment within an international high-tech organisation. Working with IBM has enabled me to identify the skills needed by students who would like to pursue a career in a similar type of company. It has empowered me and given me the confidence to encourage, prepare and support students wanting to apply for entry into a modern STEM industry.” ➲
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