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ENTERPRISE IN EDUCATION: SME SURVEY
CHAPTER THREE FACTORS DRIVING PARTICIPATION
3.1 To determine the driving force behind involvement in EinE, a series of questions was asked of those already involved. These questions sought to establish, for example, the perceived benefits of EinE for both pupil and business and the reasons why businesses become involved.
THE KEY BENEFITS OF EINE
3.2 To understand what it is that draws businesses so positively into EinE, all participating companies were asked to cite, without prompting, the main benefits for their own organisation and for pupils.
Main benefits for organisation
3.3 Figure 3.1 below summarises the main results obtained in relation to part a) - benefits for their own organisation.
Figure 3.1: Q10a. Main benefits to own organisation from involvement with schools/pupils
Base: all participating (n=200)
3.4 The main point to note here is that just over a quarter of businesses (28%) were unable to cite any organisational benefit. Even amongst those who could respond, pupil rather than organisational benefits were reiterated - such as gaining confidence and passing on of skills (by 8% and 6% respectively). Consequently, unless there is an increase in awareness and understanding of what business objectives can be achieved, it will be difficult to entice new companies to become involved or existing ones to extend involvement by trying to sell EinE within the commercial context.
"I like the experience of teaching younger children just to say that I can communicate with them and they enjoy designing"
(PARTICIPATING)
3.5 Those who did state a business related benefit focused on two main issues, namely finding potential employees and creating awareness of their business. Some 14% made specific reference to using this type of activity for finding/checking out new employees, whilst some 21% made a more general reference to creating a greater awareness of their organisation in the local community.
"I think again, it is a good recruitment opportunity. If you like, you could identify people that your company would like to employ" (PARTICIPATING)
3.6 Improving links with the community and for PR purposes also emerged as business benefits, although these were not widely mentioned (11% and 4% respectively).
"It's good to be seen to support initiatives and nurture these workers of tomorrow". (PARTICIPATING)
Main benefits for pupils
3.7 By comparison, a similar measure designed to determine the perceived benefits to pupils from their involvement with local businesses, produced a much more focused response. The key comments made are summarised in Figure 3.2 overleaf.
Figure 3.2: Q10b. Main benefits to pupils from involvement with local businesses
Base: all participating (200)
3.8 Clearly it was much easier for participants to cite the benefits for pupils - only 5% were unable to do so. The benefits that were mentioned focused on three key issues, namely gaining a better awareness of jobs or industries, gaining an understanding/experience of work and opening their minds/their lives generally. It also emerged from the qualitative research that respondents often saw pupils grow in terms of confidence, especially amongst the less academic pupils. Indeed, this perception also seems to give the businesses a sense of achievement as a result of having been responsible for this change.
"It's nice to see confidence growing…you can see them personally improve". (PARTICIPATING)
3.9 Other issues, less widely mentioned, included the benefits of learning about the respondent's own business, improving interpersonal skills, learning what cannot be taught in schools, or indeed what teachers may not know, and learning new skills specifically.
3.10 Aside from these particular benefits the qualitative research findings also highlighted some awareness of benefits accruing at a wider, more strategic level: although by no means easy to articulate there was a sense that, indirectly and not in any particularly tangible way, Scotland's economy, Scotland's workforce and even the future of Scotland should benefit from EinE.
"It's not a benefit financially but we just feel we're benefiting our future." (PARTICIPATING)
"The more you put into a school, the more is going to come back your way." (PARTICIPATING)
REASONS WHY INVOLVED
3.11 To identify the motivation for taking part, all participating companies were asked to indicate, from a list, any reasons why they were involved, as well as the main reason why they were involved. Figure 3.3 shows the results for both parts of this question.
Figure 3.3: Q11. Main reasons why participants were involved with schools/pupils
Base: all participating (200)
3.12 Of particular interest is the finding that 80% agreed that they took part because the school asked and they wanted to help. Moreover, for over a third this was the main reason why they chose to be involved. This suggests that the number of businesses taking part in EinE could increase simply as a result of Careers Scotland, Local Authorities, schools, etc. taking a pro-active approach, and inviting more local businesses to become involved.
3.13 This finding is backed up by the qualitative research which found that there is an overwhelming feeling of 'goodwill' to the principle of EinE (albeit not to the actual term) - to giving young people an experience and an insight into the workplace, into careers and industries in many different sectors. Accordingly, if businesses are approached, the tendency for many is to accept the invitation and support what they consider to be a worthwhile initiative.
"Well I quite enjoy it, I don't begrudge doing it and like I say, I wish there had been more of that when we were at school. It doesn't hurt to put back into what you have been through yourself" (PARTICIPATING)
3.14 However it would also appear that many businesses that are involved in EinE are supportive of their community generally. Early in the interview we asked all respondents, both participating and non-participating, for their levels of agreement and disagreement with several statements (see Appendix 1 Tables A.1.1 and A.1.2. for full details of these results) relating to community participation. The main finding was that participants of EinE tended to be more supportive of the local community generally than non-participants. Additionally within the qualitative research, many of the participating businesses spoke of their social responsibility and a need to help the future of Scotland. Engaging with businesses in terms of supporting not just schools and pupils but the wider community should therefore help to promote and strengthen involvement in EinE.
3.15 Figure 3.3 also confirms that it is the pupils who are most widely considered to be the main beneficiaries of EinE. Again 80% stated that it was their awareness of the benefits for pupils that motivated them to take part, and likewise for a third this was the most important influence on their decision.
3.16 After prompting, employment opportunities, improving their image in the local community and, to a slightly lesser extent, developing opportunities for staff, also emerged as fairly widespread reasons for becoming involved - although rarely were any of these considered the key factor. Nonetheless communicating the potential for achieving these benefits would arguably help to strengthen the commitment of those already involved. Moreover as is demonstrated below, there is perhaps an even greater need to 'sell' the business benefits to those who are not participating in EinE.
SCALE OF BENEFITS
3.17 Further evidence of the widespread support for EinE is demonstrated by the fact that most of those in the survey agreed that pupils would benefit significantly from involvement with local businesses. Participating businesses and non-participating businesses were asked to indicate the scale of any benefit accruing to pupils and the results obtained were as follows.
Figure 3.4: Q22b. Size of benefit there would be to pupils from involvement with local businesses
Base: all participants (200) and non-participants (298)
3.18 Importantly these results show that those with experience of EinE, as well as those without, believe pupils will benefit in some way. Moreover, for each group around half or more consider, this benefit to be sizeable. Not unexpectedly those participating in EinE were surer of the benefits involved: almost a quarter of participants (23%) stated there would be a very big benefit, and a further 38% said there would be a big benefit. In addition none of those already involved thought that there would be no benefit to pupils at all from involvement. Those without any experience of EinE also expressed largely positive opinions with 76% indicating that they believed that there would be at least some benefit to pupils.
3.19 This measure is important as it confirms that most organisations recognise the value of EinE to pupils: experience of actually being involved only strengthens this conviction. To create greater involvement in EinE these positive experiences need to be shared, perhaps through case studies which illustrate the advantages for both pupil and business. As part of the qualitative research, participants were asked whether they would be prepared to promote EinE and most said that they would - therefore scope for creating these case studies clearly exists.
3.20 The finding that organisations do not tend to associate EinE with business benefits was confirmed when businesses were asked to rate the size of any benefit to their own organisation from being involved with local schools. This question was also asked of those already involved and of those not involved, and the results obtained were as follows.
Figure 3.5: Q22a. Size of benefit there would be to own organisation from involvement with local schools
Base: all participants (200) and non-participants (298)
3.21 Those with experience of EinE were much more likely to perceive a benefit to their own organisation from being part of EinE: over half (57%) indicated that their organisation derived at least "some benefit" from their involvement with local schools, a further third (33%) thought that there was "a slight benefit" and just 11% thought that there was "no benefit at all".
3.22 Non-participants on the other hand recorded less positive views: only a quarter (25%) thought their organisation would derive at least "some benefit", with a further third (33%) opting for "a slight benefit" and 41% opting for "no benefit at all".
3.23 Organisations were thus less likely to associate EinE with commercial advantages than pupil advantages, although those that had experienced EinE were more easily able to determine how it can benefit their business. Indeed, the qualitative and quantitative research highlighted that when prompted, recognition of the more tangible benefits increased. Thus whilst benefits exist, they are not necessarily top of mind. Bringing the potential business benefits of strengthening community relationships, profile raising/PR, employment opportunities and staff development to the fore should therefore be an important objective of any communication/marketing initiatives.
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