Cover story
LINK UP WITH BUSINESS
Creating partnerships with business can bring many benefits to schools strapped for resources. Kevin Parker reveals how it’s done (overleaf), and Jane Hughes profiles successful initiatives across the UK
S
chools talk a lot about connecting with the ‘wider community’, but what does this mean
when it comes to business? Are opportunities to link with employers being missed? How could such collaborations enrich your curriculum and enhance your educational offer? This is about more than
fundraising – though donations of money or materials for a project or prizes for a raffle are obviously welcome, as is the opportunity for match-funding. It’s also about the invaluable ‘people resources’ that business can provide – whether that be volunteers to improve a play area, or the knowledge and expertise that can be shared through pupil mentoring or leadership support (such as school governors). Most importantly, it’s about equalising opportunities for all children by building long-term partnerships between education and the workplace, and opening pupils’ eyes to the possibilities ahead. The good news is that boosting young people’s life chances is
at the heart of a campaign by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to encourage businesses and schools to work more closely together. According to the non-profit organisation, which represents 190,000 businesses and has worked with the Social Mobility Foundation, 65% of employers would be willing to play a greater role in supporting schools and colleges. With the rapid pace of change
created by globalisation and technological advance, the CBI found that 44% of businesses felt school and college leavers were not ‘work ready’. However, it also found that when a young person has four or more encounters with an employer, they are five times less likely to be unemployed in their adult life. By reaching out to schools, says the CBI, businesses can become a force for good in their community; they can tackle skills gaps, enthuse children with role models and work experience, and provide mentoring for pupils and school leaders. That sounds like an open
invitation for schools to connect... FundEd SUMMER 2021 11
IMAGES: MUCHMANIA; VIKIVECTOR; LE_MON; TEDDYANDMIA; YEVHENII DUBINKO/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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