Skills for local businesses – invest in your future success!
Winchester businesses are being offered a free opportunity to influence the skills that their future young employees are taught in local schools and colleges.
Solent Skill Quest, Winchester Consortium of Schools and Colleges and Winchester City Council have come together to organise a half day conference on education for 14-19 year olds. The free event will take place on 10th July at Sparsholt College. Speakers will update employers on current changes to education for teenagers, and the audience will hear examples of schools and businesses working together. They will also give positive examples of the way that employers are already influencing the curriculum.
Cllr George Beckett, Leader of Winchester City Council, will be introducing the event in July. He said, “We are pleased to be assisting schools and colleges to engage with local employers, and make that vital link between the skills needed by businesses and the education of our future workforce.”
This conference follows on from the success of a previous event in February 2007. The July conference will provide a chance to hear about the work which has taken place in the local community since then and to discuss ways of sustaining progress under the new-style ‘diploma’ system being introduced by the Government. It will also be a chance to share practical ideas about how businesses can influence local schools and colleges straight away.
Tim Jackson, Principal of Sparsholt College and Chair of the Winchester 14/19 consortium of Schools and Colleges said “the event is going to be very useful for fostering the links which are absolutely essential in making sure that the current 14/19 learning initiatives, specified by business organisations, are implemented effectively. The opportunity to link our learners to the real working environments of our business community is excellent and will provide real motivation to the pupils/students. I really hope that our local employers are able to support this event and help us in motivating and developing the future workforce of the area.”
Spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For more information, or to book your place, contact Kate Crawford, Winchester City Council’s economic development officer, on 01962 848 563 or email kcrawford@winchester.gov.uk