Tool to link businesses and education launched in Yorkshire
AN innovative web-tool designed to link business to schools has been launched in Leeds.
The pilot programme – which will be trailled across Yorkshire – was unveiled by Regional Minister Rosie Winterton.
The Minister gave a keynote speech at the launch of ‘Business in Schools’, a unique website that will enable employers to ‘match’ their business with schools and colleges in their community to fill work-related learning opportunities.
Created by independent education foundation Edge, the free website is a key part of their new campaign to encourage more employers to engage in education.
Businesses in Yorkshire will be able to go online to search for work-related learning opportunities available at local schools and colleges.
There will be a wide range of activities from which to choose, including mock interviews, mentoring, enterprise projects and workplace visits.
Ms Winterton said: “Employers tell me that they are keen to get involved in education, but many of them are unsure how to get started. This new website fills that gap between world of education and the world of work. For the first time, everything employers need to know about engaging in education can be found in the one place. Students will have a far more comprehensive range of opportunities to engage in learning in the workplace and also benefit from bringing back to the classroom their aspirations and experience.”
Jonathan Bramsdon, Edge’s partnership director, said: “For years employers have highlighted their dissatisfaction with the key skills of young people leaving our schools and colleges. The Business in Schools campaign and free website will help employers do something about it.
“In developing Business in Schools we conducted extensive research in Yorkshire among employers about working with schools and colleges and they called for more information and a dedicated website to help them. We hope our campaign will be the answer they’ve been looking for benefiting both their bottom line and local economy, while ensuring the workforce of tomorrow is better prepared and job ready.”
