"An educated and employable workforce is essential in improving long-term business competitiveness, greater partnerships between business and the education system must be encouraged to match the skills of today with the needs of the future".

Dr Ian Peters Deputy Director-General of The British Chambers of Commerce.

GETTING INVOLVED LOCALLY

Cumbria Business Education Consortium (CBEC) is a partnership forum of education and business organisations who have come together to develop education and business links that develop schools, teachers and pupils in a variety of ways. CBEC works to assist with the delivery of local action plans that encourages business links with schools for mutual benefit.


By getting involved your business can help contribute towards:

• raising standards in education
  
• preparing young people for the world of work
  
• raising motivation & aspirations of young people
  
• supporting teacher development
  
• the local economy & community development

Mutual Benefits

• Supporting the development of the right skills and attitudes in today’s pupils will be an investment in tomorrows workforce and could save on company training costs in the long term.
  
• Investing company time in partnership projects pays off in real terms with increased staff motivation, skills and personal development.
  
• Working with schools and offering a business challenge to pupils can assist companies with new logos and marketing materials, product development, websites and research – mutual benefits showing an active commitment to education and the local community can only improve a company's image and reputation.

It is a myth that schools only need cash and resources. A companys' time and knowledge is what counts!

HOW CAN BUSINESSES GET INVOLVED

Businesses can get involved to a small or large extent:

• providing work experience for pupils for them to apply and develop their own skills whilst experiencing the type of job they have identified as a potential career
  
• providing teachers with the opportunity to visit your business and view operations which they can then relay back in school
  
• providing teachers and pupils the opportunity to visit your business and experience a work environment
  
• allowing employees to visit schools and participate in projects, pupil discussions, mock interviews or even interviewing techniques
  
• getting involved means you can have a direct influence on the way young people learn about the world of work, and an opportunity to work in partnership with teachers

Businesses from across Cumbria including:

• Kingmoor Park
• Tesco
• Bells of Lazonby
• West Lakes Research Institute
• Cumbria Tourist Board
• BAE Systems

have recognised the need to support schools and pupil development and helped to introduce a county-wide schools programme:

SCHOOLS IN BUSINESS

CBEC introduced a new programme called ‘Schools in Business’ which addresses the personal attitudes and qualities of pupils and rewards them for achievements in:

• punctuality
  
• attendance
  
• working to deadlines
  
• involvement with citizenship & community
  
• involvement with businesses & business activity
  
• work experience

Ultimately enhancing the pupil's knowledge and experience of the world of work.

Business awareness of this programme is crucial so that pupils see it as a valuable asset to their development.

Phil Callaghan of Bells of Lazonby commenting on the SiBs programme says:

'This is a new partnership which will bring a sharper focus to business involvement in schools. As an employer we are looking for school leavers to have the maturity to mix and work with older people and to understand the requirements of team working - to be reliable, to be flexible and to achieve targets. We believe that the nature of the links established by this programme will have these key employment skills high on the agenda and will keep our business young and will breathe life into schools and their students'.  

Businesses Involved Locally: The Schools in Business programme has been welcomed by the Business Community and as a result six organisations across Cumbria have committed to become local area and countywide Business Champions to encourage education business links for mutual benefit. Companies involved reflect the diversity of Cumbrias' economy and employment sectors, BAE Systems in Barrow, Bells of Lazonby in Eden, West Lakes Research Institute in West Cumbria, Tesco in Carlisle and Cumbria Tourist Board, representing the Kendal and South Lakes area, have all taken up the role of area Business Champions . Acting as a figurehead for the programme and taking onboard the challenge of encouraging more business participation with schools. Kingmoor Parks' Brian Scowcroft has gladly taken up the role of the county-wide Business Champion. Brian Scowcroft is the developer of the highly successful Kingmoor Park in Carlisle, a 300 acre development site which is set to create over 3500 jobs for the area, commenting on his involvement Brian says: "I am delighted to assist the future development of our young people in any way possible. I have five children of my own and I am aware of the huge leap they have to take from school to workplace. This move requires confidence and social skills, which are generally acquired through experience of life itself and it is our job as members of the business community to help and assist wherever possible" The Business Champions present area and county awards to Schools in Business graduates each year and send out a clear message across the county that our business communities endorse the programme and value young people, especially those who are acting now to develop their Employability Skills. In Carlisle Tesco have taken up the role of Business Champion, Andrew Palmer Store Manager said: "Tesco is delighted to be associated with this initiative in developing the skills required in business within the workforce of tomorrow. It is an invaluable tool in preparing the youth of today with the necessary skills to take them forward in their chosen careers". By working with schools to prepare young people for the world of work you will be helping students work toward their 'Schools in Business' certificate. Case studies WORKING TOGETHER - Pirelli, who enjoy an excellent relationship with The Morton School, first approached Geoff Sonley, External Relations Manager last Summer with a view to commissioning art students to produce a mural for their refurbished training rooms. Two Year 13 students Jonathan Blakey and Philip Lawson volunteered to undertake the project as part of their A level Art coursework. A brief was set to produce a mural which would both inspire and motivate all those visiting the room for the purposes of training and development, whilst at the same time depicting the Pirelli group values. Highly delighted with the final result, John Nixon, Industrial Director of Pirelli commented: "We have enjoyed ever stronger links with The Morton School over the past 18 months and whilst I have had approaches to support other secondary schools within the city I firmly believe that our relationship with The Morton School has enormous mutual benefits. This mural is a tangible and impressive example of that link" Mike Bell, Principal of The Morton School said, "This is an excellent example of education and industry working together for the benefit of all. We are soon to launch a programme of external mentoring with the help of Pirelli employees designed to help students achieve their potential. The support being shown to us by John and his team at Pirelli is immeasurable". “It was a great opportunity,” said Phil Lawson “and to see it finished and installed makes Jonathan and I feel very proud of our work”.