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SCOTLAND'S EMPLOYERS: VITAL PARTNERS
Demos 59 recently reported that 'the jobs available in the economy are changing, as is the nature of many organisations themselves. Human Resource directors rated creativity and innovation as the most important graduate skills in ten years' time. The expectations and values of young people are shifting, alongside the changing nature of the graduate career itself'. It suggested, 'that these changes mean new challenges for employees, which increase the importance of 'intangible' personal qualities, such as the ability to work in a team or to be creative'. And it argued, 'that they provide new questions for employers, as they struggle to find ways to attract, motivate and support a generation of young people with higher debt, different values and more demanding jobs than ever before.'
The report also observed, 'In this environment, we must find new and different opportunities to develop the talents of young people, which do not fall into the neat categories of educational 'standards' or vocational learning. Acquiring vocational skills, or achieving high levels of literacy and numeracy, is important, but learning how to make use of these skills within an organisation is equally important. To do this, we will need to get beyond the process of batting blame back and forth between employers, government and young people - and start to forge more useful conversations and partnerships involving change and effort from all three.'
Today's pupils are tomorrow's workforce. Young people, preparing to make education or career choices, either now or in the future, need to make decisions with their eyes wide open. They need to understand the relevance of what they are learning to the world they are living in. When they have an idea of what job or career they'd like in the future, they can take the right steps, at the right time to get where they need to be.
Determined to Succeed is all about better preparing young people for the world of work, to enable them to understand the business world and what it means to be enterprising. If this is to happen effectively employers, from all sectors, have to be involved.
Developing education-business relationships and encouraging an enterprise culture would be enhanced significantly by rationalising and focusing all current business-education links through the Scottish Executive's Determined to Succeed programme. 60
We are fortunate to have enjoyed overwhelming support from Scotland's business community, and we are confident this is set to continue. In 2004 the Review Group set a target to establish 2,000 school/business partnerships by 2006. There are now over 7,000 partnerships between schools and employers across Scotland, a clear demonstration of the desire and commitment of both the education and business communities to work together for the benefit of Scotland's young people.
BT Scotland, BP, ScottishPower Learning, Standard Life, Jobcentre Plus and Diageo have been recognised as Determined to Succeed national partners and have made significant contributions to the enterprise in education agenda for a number of years with a major impact on a large number of pupils.
ScottishPower Learning's 'School to Work' programme helps school pupils to focus on their future through a journey of learning and training. The programme identifies skills and opportunities for development of young people about to enter the employment market and tells them what's required to succeed in the world of work today. It is designed to develop pupils' core employability skills from a business perspective, and provides feedback on their current skill levels culminating in individual development plans.
Tracy McGee, Principal Teacher of Business Studies and Enterprise at Our Lady's High School, Cumbernauld, says: "The scheme is enabling our young people to take their place in society. The programme is so good, I wish it could be offered to every pupil in school."
Pupils agree that the programme is adding value, Laura Taggart, S5 said: "I really enjoyed the course. It allowed me the opportunity to talk in front of an audience and it gave me a clearer direction on what I wanted to do when I leave school."
Neil Hunter, Regional Manager, ScottishPower Learning said, "As employers we understand what makes people successful in jobs. We adapt business methodologies for assessing skills and use it to say to pupils that, from a business perspective, this is how ready we feel you are to enter the workplace."
Young Engineers Clubs Scotland 61 is organised by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry ( SCDI), whose purpose is to inspire young people to recognise the importance and excitement of a career in science, engineering and technology. The aim of the Clubs is to involve young people in the challenges and fun of science, engineering and technology by encouraging them to exercise their creative and innovative skills supported by appropriate local companies. In this way, young engineers develop their skills in problem-solving through working as a team. The Clubs, aimed at primary and secondary schools, particularly those in P6/P7 and S1/S2, stimulate an interest in science, engineering and technology, and demonstrate the relevance of much of the school curriculum in the development of technologists in all disciplines.
The network has over 220 science, engineering and technology clubs throughout Scotland, with a membership of more than 3,600 girls and boys participating in the Clubs. Girls are positively encouraged to become members. The Clubs adopt a very hands-on approach to projects in science; electrical, electronic, mechanical, robotics and civil engineering; and a wide range of technology applications.
We recognise the considerable amount of work that has been undertaken by local authorities to increase the number of employers, and other appropriate organisations, who are now actively participating in enterprise in education within our schools.
Angus Council held a Business Recognition Event for over 100 guests from the local business community which included representatives from; GlaxoSmithKline; Angus Digital Media Centre; the Construction Industry Training Board; Army Careers; The Royal Bank of Scotland; United Utilities; and Jobcentre Plus. The purpose of the event was to thank the businesses for their support with Determined to Succeed and a number of pupils, from primary and secondary schools, delivered presentations on the enterprise work they had been doing with local employers.
The businesses in attendance commented on the importance of enterprise education, how pleased they were to have been able to support the schools and how hugely rewarding they had found the experience.
When schools and employers team up, they better equip pupils to make sound decisions about their futures by making the learning experience more relevant to today's world and giving them first hand, practical insights. The wide range of employers involved in supporting enterprise in education in Scotland's schools, across all sectors, represents a major advance since 2003.
" UK plc has long since moved from manufacturing to a service-led economy. However, it is increasingly apparent that in the global economy, human talent will be the key factor in ensuring the continued dominance of British business. It is for this reason that human resources directors rated creativity and innovation as the most important graduate skills in ten years' time. Imagination will help organisations secure competitive advantage in the future." 62
Alastair Macleod, Vice President, Orange Business Services UK
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